First day on the job.

Posted on Wed May 13th, 2020 @ 5:27pm by Ensign River Lokaa & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Deck 19, Chief of Security Office.
1989 words - 4 OF Standard Post Measure

Still feeling pleasantly surprised having not long left the presence of the operations crewman who had shown River to her room. The young Elasian now found herself clutching to an assignment order in the form of the all too familiar personal access display unit or more commonly referred to as ‘PaDD’. She was certainly beginning to fill with some aspect of dread and anxiety. The thought of her all too annoyingly abundant Elasian heritage surfacing its ugly head was a constant threat to her current cool demeanor as she passed what she noticed to be the armory on deck nineteen, it made sense that the chief of security’s office would be so close to where they would work.

A few more steps and further along the corridor she finally reached her destination. “Get it together River.” She chided herself, noticing her heart rate had picked up again for the second time since boarding the ship. She had spent the journey to her new home reading up on the crew. Commander Aurelia Holmes, a female Human who has had two prior assignments the USS Endeavour and Starfleet intelligence. To be a Commander and to be relatively young River guessed she was either amazing at her Job or a suck-up she hoped it was the former so that she may learn a few things.

Time for inner thoughts and feelings was cut short however when all too quickly she was pressing the door chime to his office.

"Enter", Lia had heard from Phoenix that she had a new Ensign. *Wonder what Academy greenie I've been lumbered with?* she thought.

Not one to wait for a second invitation River entered the office. Looking around it was what she expected clean and regimented with some touches of a female owner. The woman in front of her was in every way the polar opposite of River, blonde with blue eyes and only a fraction of an inch shorter. It would seem other than their profession the pair of them were nothing alike. "Hello Commander, I am Ensign River Lokaa, I was told to report to yourself upon arrival."

Taking the PaDD from the Ensign, Lia pointed at a chair opposite her desk. "Sit Ensign, and tell me why your here". This might have sounded a stupid question, but Lia wanted to hear this Ensign's own words. Yes she could read it on the PaDD, but that told her nothing about the person before her. Niceties could wait for now, Moxton had shown her that approach didn't work. So for now she would play hard ball, only if she got the correct responses would she soften her stance. Her Star Fleet Intelligence training kicked in, she knew what to look for and how to tell if the subject was fudging it.

'A test' River concluded almost immediately the woman's demeanor became suddenly rigid and alert as she took the seat pointed out by the Commander. The question was what now played on her mind, why did she join Starfleet? Why was she here? River thought about the question a moment longer before "Elasians are warriors and I was tired of the clan politics and the infighting. I was considered in a rather high regard but that bored me so I looked to the stars and then to Starfleet. Im still undecided if it was the right path to take but I'm willing to do my best"

"You got tired of clan politics, and your undecided if this is the right path. Ok, so what are you gonna do if this isn't the right path, or you get tired again?" The Ensign hadn't scored that well on her first response, Lia's alert status had just gone up. "This career is not all highs, there's a bloody lot of lows. I know, I've had 'em". She stood up and walked to the replicator, "Coffee hot, white, two sugars. Ensign, would you like anything to drink?" Although her new bod hadn't scored very high yet, politeness cost nothing.

"Water please" River replied, "It's not that I want highs." She started, her previous answer most likely not doing her any favors. "Growing up, and being born into something is different from choosing something. I never chose to be an Elasian or a noble but I did choose Starfleet which is why this is different. I have only just started this career and I believe anyone who says at my stage that this career is for them is either lying or fooling themselves. What I do know is that taking the first steps to fully committing myself to something is the right step toward knowing its for me, and I am fully committed to Starfleet even if it doesn't seem like it."

She placed the glass in front of her Ensign, "We have a Princess on board, she was born into something as were you. Yet here you both are, at the opposite end of the social system". Lia sat back down and looked at River, "Commitment has its limits, there comes a time when duty steps in. That's when people get, to use your words, tired". She glanced at the PaDD, "I like that response, and your right. This early part of your career, would be a foolish time to admit conversion to Star Fleet". A small light glimmered from the Ensigns answers, "So why Security? You don't seem the type to put up with drunks and idiots, being of noble birth and everything".

Only a little annoyed at being compared to a 'princess' which was by no means what she was, a princess to her understanding was royalty and usually stuck up snobs. She though born to a chieftain had to still earn the right to be a noblewoman. River sipped slowly and thought about the question, she'd have to work harder to please her new boss.

"We Elasians are natural warriors, it's, even more, a reason for a woman to be because we are not treated as equals until we pass three trials of combats, and then we become somewhat of the rule-makers, were not a matriarchy by any means but woman are held in high regards but only after they have completed our trials. It would seem silly not to use that to my advantage and go into a role that benefits from it. If it is sometimes just drunks and idiots then I can certainly live with that, but maybe one day my skills will be used in proper combat to save someone's life not that I wish to see that day but even in a peacekeeping organisation as Starfleet things can turn ugly."

Having said her part River was left guessing at who was the princess on the ship, it wasn't the woman in front of her for sure, River was usually good at picking out those types.

Nodding in agreement, Lia glanced at her Ensign. "We have a multitude of species on board, can you work well with other?" Lia was thinking of S'hib, he could be quite a shock to the system if you didn't know him. "We have a Sequus on staff here, have you worked with or met one before?" She continued to scroll the PaDD and thought about what River had said, "Do you hold yourself in high regard? And what of those placed above you by Star Fleet, that shall we say are below your social status? How will you deal with them?"

"I do hold myself in high regard I've had to fight to where I am both with my social status and within Starfleet. I was good with a phaser but terrible at flying it wasn't until I was forced to work with others did I start progressing." She sipped her drink again and thought carefully with how she would approach the next part of her answer. "I struggle with others, or shall I say they struggle with me. I say things as I see them and I know I can be rude and even come off as aggressive, I had spent most of my academy years either in class, alone painting or taking pictures with my holocamera it's my escape though I wouldn't consider myself a loner I have or shall I say had friends until I was assigned here."

River almost forgot to address the line of questioning in regards to the Sequss and how she would be able to hold the people in her chain of command. "I know about Lieutenant S'hib I took the time to read the manifest of most if not all of the ship's chain of command. He intrigues me greatly and I'm looking forward to meeting him as for your question about my superiors and my social ranking, Starfleet is in its own way a very large clan with its own social ranking. I will treat my superiors with the same respect as I would treat my father, providing they use the rank appropriately and not use it as a shield to hide behind, I believe in equality, respect is earned not given"

*Oh very good* thought Lia, *Not like I haven't heard that one before* she decided. Holmes now looked straight at River, "Security isn't a place for loners, I've just had to deal with one of those. It didn't end nicely, so I don't intend to repeat the process". That was a subtle hint towards Moxton, he thought highly of himself as well plus he was a loner. "We need people who can and will muck in together, Lt.S'hib is one of those. Our 2i/c is another, I suggest you get yourself acquainted with both of them". She had to admit she was beginning to like the girl, but still something bothered her. "I also suggest biting back your aggression, and the rudeness. This department isn't that strict with discipline when we're here in the office, but outside we're by the book. But it has to be done correctly, aggression or rudeness will instantly cause everyone else problems. Can you handle that?"

River nodded, the gypsies warning from the Commander was expected after all River was River and she'd always be an Elasian, there was no changing that. "I can and as always try my best to do so. I wear my heart on my sleeve but I'll try and tame my native Elasian." And she meant it, River left Elas in search for something more than being the chieftains daughter and she hoped that within Starfleet and aboard the USS Elysium shed find it. "I will introduce myself to Lieutenant S'hib and the other officers in security as soon as possible."

Lia now stood up, "Welcome to Security Ensign, I hope you'll enjoy your stay with us. If you have any problems, come talk to me". She again watched and looked over her new arrival, "We're a friendly bunch in here, I'm sure you'll find that out. Your locker is through there, and the Brig is that way. S'hib will probably take you under his wing, he's like that". She had pointed left and right as she spoke, now she held out her hand. "On duty it's Commander, off duty in the bar or holodecks the name is Lia. Don't mix 'em up, or I'll have to throw you out an airlock". She smiled at the last part, with luck this newbie would work out.

Standing to mirror the Commanders actions River appreciated her words and watched as she pointed out the different locations of things. "Thank you, Commander, I hope I meet your expectations." River took the Commanders hand and shook it. Maybe she wasn't too bad, only time would tell. With the pleasantries and interrogation now over River gave a courteous nod before leaving in the direction of her locker.

Commander Lia Holmes
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Elysium

Ensign River Lokaa
Security Officer
USS Elysium