First Impressions

Posted on Wed Oct 26th, 2022 @ 4:47am by Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Security Office
Timeline: TBD
1307 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Chief Petty Officer Sean Conner O'Keefe had just boarded the USS Elysium after a long flight from his last post aboard the USS Sun Tzu. He surely thought he had laid off the Jameson Irish Whiskey enough to not feel hungover, but apparently he had overdone it.

O'Keefe remembered that he first needed to check in with his New Commanding Officer. What is the name?, he thought as he proceed, his head low toward the security offices. He pulled a PADD from his belongings, checking on the information. Rubbing his eyes, he read Commander Aurelia Taylor.

His eyes perked up a bit, realizing his new commanding officer was a woman. He shook his head, wondering how attractive she might be. "This is a grand thing," he whispered to himself as he packed the PADD back into his sack.

Entering the offices, O'Keefe passed what appeared to be a two-legged horse with officer bars. He rubbed his eyes, now really believing he had had too much to drink. What the feck? Of course, he had never met a Sequus before.

Pausing before the Commander's door, he wished he had a drink to take off some of the edge. Relax him a bit. Not having any, he took a deep breath and sounded the bell to notify the Commander that someone was requesting entrance to her office.

Lia heard the chime and responded, "Enter." She looked up as a man entered, then a faint aroma caught her senses. "Irish Whiskey, I smell Irish Whiskey." She then looked straight at the man before her with a quizzical look, "Hello I'm Commander Taylor, and you are?" She stood and extended her hand and caught the scent again. "Care to mention the aftershave?" She spoke with a smile on her lips, no need to jump to conclusions before the man had even spoken to her.

“Aye!” O’Keefe affirmed with a salute, glad to see she was smiling. “I’m sorry Commander. I musta celebrated comin’ to such a fine lookin’ DO a lil’ too much. CPO Sean Conner O’Keefe, Commander. That be me name. I’m yer new Master at Arms. Transfer from the Sun Tzu.”

He probably noches the bridge of his nose. His poor head was throbbing. “Uh, ifin’ ye don’ mind. Could’ I ‘ave a tomato juice?”

"You'll find the replicator over there Chief; I will give you one piece of advice though. My 2i/c isn't a fan of alcohol, so I'd try and loose the aroma." She pointed as she spoke, then sat back down. *This could prove interesting*, she thought. "So you're from the Sun Tzu, do you have your joining instructions with you?"

As she spoke, Sean considered the horse he thought he saw. That must have been the second in command. He’d have to be careful around him, which to O’Keefe meant no neighing around him.

“Aye!” the CPO affirmed, handing over a PADD. “Not to worry, Commander! I don’ drink on duty. I ain’t coddin’ ye!”

Taking the PaDD, Lia started to read. She also replied to O'Keefe, "I'll give you once chance and one chance only Chief, if you let me down you will never walk the decks of a starship ever again. I don't have a problem with people drinking, but if you become a danger to my ship, staff or me. I will ensure your removal on a permanent basis, do you copy Chief?" She looked up as she finished, "I can be as nasty as any Romulan, as unforgiving as any Klingon. Or I can be as nice as apple pie, the choice as they say is yours." Lia handed back the PaDD, "Everything seems in order, so take the rest of the day off. Get your quarters and yourself sorted, and report back 09:00hrs tomorrow."

As she was notifying him of his one chance, Sean was taking a tomato juice from the replicator. He took a deep chug of the liquid and took a deep breath. He wondered if his father had ever been reprimanded in this way. He inwardly smiled, as she was at least a lady. He’d work hard to please her.

“Aye, Commander Taylor!” O’Keefe responded with a wink and a grin. “I will na’ let ye down! I’ll ‘ave the crewmen in ship shape…as well as me self! I thank ye fer the opportunity ta serve wit’ ye!” He finished the drink and placed the glass back in the replicator. It quickly vanished.

“Ye will na’ be disappointed!”

"Please ensure that I'm not, now dismiss and get things shipshape." Lia stood up and again extended her hand, "Welcome aboard, and at the first opportunity I suggest a visit to the XO. Then the Captain, S'hib will be here to report to at any time."

CPO O’Keefe had done some research before coming aboard. He remembered the Captain of the ship was actually a commodore. Another fine looking lady, at that. O’Keefe was full of joy that he’d be surrounded by so many beautiful women, including his departmental senior and officer.

He remembered his supervisor was a certain Senior CPO Fernando de la Rosa. He would do what it took to get on the man’s good side.

O’Keefe didn’t do any research on the XO. He wouldn’t have much contact with that person, as he was over the departmental heads. Sean pursed his lips, wondering why he would need to meet the XO immediately upon his arrival.

“The XO?” O’Keefe asked. “ ‘Oo migh’ tha’ be?”

Lia now stood up, "That might be my husband, but he's also responsible for discipline aboard the Elysium. He likes it when new arrivals report to him, so if you want to gain some brownie points, I'd report."

‘usband? Sean thought with a wince. From the time O’Keefe entered the office, he kept his eyes on his sexy looking CO. Finding she had a husband put a small damper upon his thoughts, but he still enjoyed looking.

“Aye, Commander,” Sean stated, thinking it was a shame that one so sexy was taken. It’s no’ like I ha’ a chance wit’ ‘er anyway. She’s an officer!

"Chief, is there something up?" Lia asked as she could see a slight disappointed look on O'Keefe's face, her mind then began to work. "Don't worry, there's plenty women on the Elysium. You'll find one somewhere." She then smiled as O'Keefe seemed to blush a little.

Sean’ disappointed look turned to a sheepish grin as he rubbed his chin with the back of his hand. “Aye Commander!” O’Keefe said like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Iffin ye don’ min’, I think I may need to freshen up afore meetin’ yer ‘usband!”

"Yes I think that might be a good idea, and just one more thing Mr. O'Keefe. I would stay away from a certain Ojnas female called Imik, she's psychic. Even I could read your thoughts, she would read and react to them. Just a word of warning, dismiss Chief."

Imik? Ojnas? As of yet Sean hadn’t come across this species. Psychic, she was. The Commander read his disappointment, but not his exact thoughts. Sometimes, feelings were easy to read.

O’Keefe was about to inquire more on this Imik, but realized he was dismissed. He didn’t wish to seem insubordinate of his CO, especially since she was a woman. He was put in this universe to please them. They were goddesses.

“Aye, Commander,” he stated with a bow.

Exiting her office, O’Keefe thought he’d get the information from this Imik’s bio information, filed in the computer. That would satisfy his curiosity.