No pressure, or anything...

Posted on Thu Aug 29th, 2024 @ 7:39am by Lieutenant JG Maxine Mckull
Edited on on Sun Sep 15th, 2024 @ 8:18pm

Mission: Season 6: Episode 5: A church beyond heaven
Location: Max's Quarters
Timeline: MD5, 1800
Tags: Flight Control
702 words - 1.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Maxine was tired. She had worked herself into the ground, as she had tended to do as of late, especially with Miraj’s sudden absence. That and her running in the gymnasium were the only things that tended to keep her sane these days. In some ways, this assignment was starting to frustrate her. They were on the move, but she’d made as little progress tracking down a treasure world as ever. Were they even real? She was starting to wonder.
And now, as she walked into her quarters, ready to change into her gym attire, she was treated to a surprise announcement from the computer. The doors closing behind her, she heard a familiar chirp and then a voice say, “Ensign McKull. There is a message waiting for you.”
With a sigh, she nodded slightly. Probably just another interdepartmental dispute, she thought. Still, she issued the simple instructions in the same way. “Put it on the monitor.” The computer beeped in compliance, and she approached the screen. As she sat down and began to read, she felt like the chair she sat in was dropping out from under her.

ATTEN: Ensign Maxine McKull
RE: Positional Change

Ensign,

Due to the fact that we no longer have a chief of flight control, you are being promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade and posted to the post of Chief Flight Control Officer.

Congratulations Lieutenant. Senior staff quarters are being prepared for you.

Commodore Lalor-Richardson

===

So much for an interdepartmental dispute. No, in some ways this was worse than that. Most of the time, those were something...

Wait a minute.

Max lifted a hand and started to fan her face. Someone else was supposed to take care of those. Someone else was supposed to be above her. But... who? She couldn't recall anyone who might've been above her, and yet someone had to have been. She knew she directed matters elsewhere more often than not. Hadn't she? She couldn't be imagining this, could she? Feeling disoriented and confused, Max found herself staring at the message. But had it been seconds? Minutes? Hours? She didn’t know. Nor did she know how she was going to break the news to an already fragmented department. Maybe the solution would come to her during her usual run, she thought.
As she began to change out of her uniform and into her workout attire, black shorts and a white tank top, she couldn’t help but think that everything felt different, and yet nothing did. She would have new quarters and new responsibilities… her priorities were the same for the moment, but would they, could they, remain that way? She had no idea what was in store for her, but she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that she was in trouble…
Before she left her quarters, Max had one further thing to do. Would it be the right call? She didn’t know. But the… her personnel deserved to know. In a flat, monotonic and artificial voice, she called out. “Computer. Open a channel to all flight control personnel.”
The computer trilled in acknowledgement and although it wasn’t necessary, Chloe took a breath before her translator began to drone again. “Attention all flight control personnel. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I have been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade and placed in command of the flight control department. I realize we have been hit particularly hard by the journey out here, and that none of you were expecting another shift. Nor was I. But this is now our hand. I expect you all to put your best work forward, as you have always done. That is all.”
Max wasn’t sure if she felt better or worse, making that announcement. She wasn’t sure if it helped the reality sink in more than she had already processed. But she knew one thing. If she was going to lead these people, she deserved to hear it from her and they deserved to know what they expected of her. With that taken care of, she left her quarters and, to get a little bit of a head start on herself jogged the whole way to the gym.