Meeting the new crew...mostly

Posted on Sun May 7th, 2023 @ 8:21am by Commander Kyle Reece & Lieutenant JG Zac Smithson & Avalon [ADMIN NPC]

Mission: Season 6: Episode 2: Survival
Location: USS Elysium, Tactical Chief's office
Timeline: MD 4 / 1000 hours
1715 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

The day after he was officially made Tactical Chief, Kyle was back aboard the Elysium. He only had one senior officer, plus a handful of junior officers and enlisted that had survived the quantum filament crisis. The senior officer, Lieutenant Commander Malakai Starr, was on assignment with another department this week, so Kyle decided to address the rest now.

While he needed to box up the former Chief's belongings, both in his old office and old quarters, now was not the time to do do. Right now, Elysium needed his expertise to get her back into fighting form. A heavy task to be sure, but, doable.

Before he started work, he called his personnel into the Tacticsl briefing room. As he waited for them all to arrive, he thought about what he would say to them all.

Zac had received the call from the new tactical chief to report to the tactical briefing room. He still couldn't believe Etrara was gone. Killed in some stupid accident. He felt numb all over and it wasn't from the cold. he moved automatically to the tactical briefing room. Though his world had collapsed with Etrara's death, he would do his job. He arrived at the briefing room and stepped inside as he did he saw an unfamiliar commander standing at the front of the room. "Lt. Smithson, reporting as ordered sir."

Kyle nodded to the young officer. He extended his right hand to him as several other junior members, officer and enlisted alike, started to file in and take their seats. "Commander Kyle Reece. Pleasure to meet you, Mister Smithson. If you'll take a seat with the others, we can get started."

"Thank you sir. Good to meet you as well." Zac replied gripping the offered hand in a firm handshake before moving to take a seat.

Kyle appreciated that the young officer knew how to give a proper handshake. After watching him move to an empty seat, Kyle moved to the front of the room. "Good morning everyone," he said aloud, his deep baritone voice filling the space. "For those of you who do not know who I am, let's start there. I am Commander Kyle Reece. I was, until yesterday, Captain and Commandant of the Academy Annex here. Following the untimely death of Lieutenant Etrara , Commodore Lalor-Richardson and Captain Taylor asked me to step back into the role I used to fill."

"I have been the Chief of combined Sec and Tac departments on several starships, then strictly Tactical in others. I have also run a Stat Ops Department on both the Nimitz and Cheron Station. However, speaking of Tactical by itself, I am not only well versed in how it works, ten years ago, I was the initial Tac Chief here, on Elysium, when she was launched on her shakedown cruise and maiden mission."

"While I'm certain Lieutenant Etrara was an excellent department head, I am hoping to pick up the mantel and continue to carry it forward. I hope that, with the help from each of you, we will continue to give Ely her teeth back. Now, more than ever, this ship is more than just our home, it is the only way we will ever get back to our families and friends, back home in our galaxy!"

Zac sat silently as Commander Reece spoke, half listening to the words. He was still dealing with Etrara's death but he would do his best for his new chief and department.

Kyle continued to speak, as he slowly scanned the room, making eye contact with everyone there. Everyone, except Lieutenant Smithson. He had heard rumors that Etrara had been seeing on of her officers. From the vibes that he was picking up from the young Lieutenant, he wondered if they were true. He would need to determine that after the meeting.

"Over the next several days, I am going to be making the rounds, coming to see and speak to each of you, either privately or in a group, and start to get to know all of you. I know our department was hit hard in the crossing. We all are going to have to come together and get the job done. The Commodore, our crewmates, families, and the Elysium herself, deserve our absolute best." He nodded his head as he continued to look at his crew. "Let's get out there and get the job done. Section leaders, you will find orders for each of your teams in your inboxes. Get your respective areas squared away. I'll be holding an initial damage and repair inspection in two days. That's it. Go to work people."

As everyone stood and started to make their way out of the briefing room, Kyle spoke up. "Mister Smithson, a word." He stepped off to the side of the briefing room and waited for Zac to reach him.

As the meeting ended, Zac got up to leave but was stopped by Commander Reece asking to speak to him. "Yes sir?" He asked as he reached the new chief. "You wanted to speak to me?"

Once they were alone, Kyle spoke in a gentle tone. "Zac, if I'm wrong about what I'm about to ask, feel free to say so." He paused a beat, then asked, "Were you and Lieutenant Etrara seeing one another?"

Zac's eyes met Kyle's and held them. "You mean Lieutenant Khalten sir? Yes, we were." His tone steady and even.

Kyle realized he had made an error. "My apologies. Yes, Lieutenant Khalten." He took a breath, then continued. "How long were you seeing each other? I'm not asking for details, just the duration of your relationship with one another."

Zac looked at the man, wondering what that had to do with anything. He silently debated on whether to tell the Commander or not. Then after a few seconds made his decision. "Several months sir. Right up until her death. May I ask why you wish to know?"

Kyle frowned slightly as he nodded in thought. After waiting a few beats to compose his answer, he replied. "Because, as officers, you both knew the regs. No personal, romantic relationships may exist between individuals within the Sam chain of command. As she was your superior officer, she definitely should have known better." While his words could have been seen as harsh, his tone remained respectful and sympathetic. "However, as she is no longer here to defend herself, I will not move forward with any administrative reporting on this, about either of you."

He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Tou do know why the regulation is in the books, don't you?"

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate that and I'm sure Etrara would as well." He stopped for a moment to compose himself. "Yes sir I do. So, there would never be an occasion where an officer would have to choose between duty and love or have a conflict of interests where one's decisions could be called into question and cast doubt on the integrity of the officer and the department."

Kyle nodded. "Exactly. In normal circumstances, it wouldn't be a major issue. Still against regs, but not a major issue. However, we are not in normal circumstances. I trust you will not make this error in judgment again, will you, Mister Smithson?"

Zac shook his head from side to side. "No sir. I will not. I can assure you of that. Thank you for talking to me about this sir and keeping it private. I appreciate it a great deal. I won't let you or the department down."

Kyle considered the young officer for a few beats. Then, nodding, he replied. "See to it that you don't. You eill fin that, next time, I will not be as forgiving." Helet some steel back into his voice to emphasize his point. Then, "As you were familiar with Lieutenant Khalten, I'm giving you a special assignment. Once you leave here, you are to report to her quarters and pack all of her things. Logging each item before tagging it with a transporter tag. Then, once all of her obsessions are safely stored in a buffer chips, you are to safeguard that chip until such time as we return home and you can return the items to her family. Do you understand?"

Zac nodded solemnly. "Yes, sir I understand. I will do exactly as you have ordered. One thing sir. Etrara didn't have any family at least none that I am aware of. However, I will still catalogue and tag all her possessions and safeguard the chip. " Zac thought it best not to mention that he and Etrara had been sharing quarters even though she still kept hers for appearance's sake. Best to let sleeping dogs lie. He didn't want to press his luck with his new boss.

Kyle nodded, then replied. "That's unfortunate, but, perhaps you were the closest thing to a family for her. In any case, I'm relieving you of your duties for 48 hours. Take some time to grieve. Then, in two days, I want you ready to work. Dismissed."

"I think I was sir. I have your permission to stay up here to catalogue and tag her things sir? I'll be ready to work sir. No worries on that score." He turned to leave and stopped. "Oh, do you want me to show you what I've done, when I am finished?"

Kyle considered the question, then shook his head. "No. As I didn't know her, except in passing, I will leave it all in your capable hands." He tilted his head toward the door. "Go on. Get outta here."

"Yes sir, thank you sir. I am gone." Zac replied as he beat a hasty retreat out of the briefing room. He had work to do. Sad work but work nonetheless. He was sure he'd shed more than a few tears doing it.

Kyle watched the young officer headed out. He sighed to himself softly. He had a feeling they would lose more friends and loved ones before they found their way back home.

Shaking the painful thought from his mind, Kyle decided that it was time to go reclaim his office. Any personal item he found in there, he would give to Zac for safekeeping.

~OFF~