Better late than never?

Posted on Mon Dec 28th, 2020 @ 9:16pm by Ensign Andrew Carey & Lieutenant Commander S'hib

Mission: Season 4: Episode 3: Guided by Starlight
Location: Security Offices
Timeline: Current - after Physical
1125 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Andy stood out the commanders office, he was late, really late showing up to the commander. His father had always told him that it was best to show the chief what you can do, rather than sit in front of them trying to explain how good you are. Maybe there were things that he should have thought about for himself. Like actually reporting into the chief when he first arrived. Seeing as how they were on leave, he had figured that it would have been alright if he just went to work rather than disturbing the Chief on his vacation, given the nature of the previous mission.

Finally, he had the guts to ring the chime and awaited the answer.

"Come." He snorted, blowing his hot breath over the PADD he was scrutinizing, the screen clouding over briefly as he glanced up at the door.

Andy walked into the office looked around, "Commander. Ensign Andrew Carey reporting for duty... finally."

"Ah, Ensign... come on in," S'hib smiled as he placed the PADD down, ignoring the fact that it had skidded off the top of the pile and away from him somewhat. "How did the physical go? all clear I hope?"

"All clear, unless he didn't tell me something." Andy replied as he approached the desk. "I must admit, having a physical done by a Gorn was something I never thought I would get done, but I think I like him."

"He's a good doctor and an even better man, but I understand the immediate reaction people have towards him... better than most, unfortunately." He frowned, extending his hand across the desk and offering Andrew to sit.

"That's what I sense about him. My cousin didn't have a similar experience with them, but that was thirty years ago. Times change." Andy replied as he shook the commander's hand. "That was impressive with the bow in the holodeck... I have mastered the rifle and the handgun. The bow... I'm a clutz."

"On my world, we still use what you would consider ancient weapons..." S'hib said as he breathed in heavily and sat back in his chair. "Though we do have more modern equivalents like my phaser lance, tradition is something we are fond of on Sequella."

"Sequella, from what I have read, its a beautiful world." Andy replied as he remembered reading at the academy. "Tradition is something that should never be lost. From what I hear, Trill as well as the Vulcan people has lost most of their ancient traditions. With claims of no longer useful. Being of both races, I follow the human life, my father being adopted."

"A cornerstone of my people's society is to remember the past, honouring it and learning from it, good and bad... though I suppose it does help that we can on occasion commune with our ancestors, not that I have witnessed such things... but I've heard stories." He frowned for a moment, thinking back to the journal he still had yet to open.

"Anyway, enough about me and the Doctor... tell me about you, why do you feel suited for this department."

"Well, ive been training for this since I was a kid, both parents were chiefs of their department, and my mother was my fathers Assistant, which was how they had initially met." Any replied, "Growing up I had a mandatory training in weapons for two hours a day, for eight years, along with the security training one would get in the academy. My parents told me it would give me a head start. Mother being a professor at the academy in the field, father a private advisor in the field as well after retiring from the fleet." He paused. "Mind you it was something that I had asked for. They wanted me prepared as this day and age, there is a lot more unknown apparently now than there was when they were in the academy. As for the armoury... I like weapons. I can deconstruct any starfleet/klingon/Romulan weapon and reconstruct it, recalibrate, and modify them. I figured the Armoury would best suit what I wanted, and trained for."

"It helps to be prepared, but remember... just because you have this position doesn't mean you have nothing to learn, far from it in fact..." He huffed, the vapour from his nostrils steaming ever so slightly. "As far as you're concerned, from now on... you're back at the Academy." He added, leaning forward to rest on his arms. "Because this is where the real training starts, mistakes will be permanent...and things you do will have consequence."

His brow curled as his lips finished moving, frowning at his own words as he said them, wondering if he had perhaps been too blunt.

"Now the reason I say all this is to remove any overconfidence, I'd rather have this discussion now than later down the line... as I do not relish those types of conversations."

Smiling, "My father had hoped that my first chief would actually have that conversation with me." Andy replied. "He says no matter how much you know, you still dont know half there is to really know." Pausing. "He also said cocky officers make the first casualties."

"Well as long as you follow your father's advice I can't see you going wrong..." He smiled, sitting back in his oversized chair. "Now, before we finish is there anything you'd like to ask? any requests?"

"Just if you have any quirks... I know it sounds... odd... I've been told that every chief has their own different way of running a department. Just want to know if you have anything I should be aware of in the way of a unique style of running your department."

"Well for starters it not my department, It's Commander Holmes... as for running it..." His hand gently gestured to the pile of PADDs to his right. "You don't want to know." He sighed, though it more for dramatic effect as a smile never left his lips.

"All I will say is, try not to take things too seriously... we're here to make the crew feel safe, so be courteous and friendly... talk to people, you could be the best officer on paper but if you stand there and don't inject your personality into your work... you will make a terrible security officer."

"Understood Commander." Andy replied as he looked at the time. "I have scheduled myself to start calibrations on the pulse rifles."

"Very well Ensign, I'll look forward to seeing your fine-tuning in practice on the range." S'hib nodded before extending a hand over the desk.

"Understood sir." Andy replied as he stood and shook the commander's hand.

"Welcome aboard." He smiled, letting the Ensign leave for the Armory.