New Senior Officers

Posted on Wed Jan 5th, 2022 @ 4:15am by Commodore Erica Everly & Lieutenant Commander Alexander Espersen & Lieutenant Jason Beauvoir

Mission: The Dexic Negotiations
Location: Commodore Everly's Office, Starbase 614

Commodore Erica Everly looked over her desk at both of the officers, one in gold, one in teal as they answered her summons and entered her office. Her slightly almond shaped green eyes flicked between the two of them as they arranged themselves in front of her desk, "Well, both of you have a seat." She stated simply, leaning forward to plant both elbows on the desk.

A few more moments of silence before the Commodore nodded once, "I'm sure both of you are wondering why you're here. Commander Esperson, congratulations on your promotion, but you've spent far too much time at the Academy. You need a change of pace and Admiral Towers has decided that your services would be best utilized on Chimera's engineering deck. Don't take that as a compliment, he's got a bone to pick with that ship for the time being. You've set an all-time Academy record for the instructor who's had the most complaints received about. Change that, Commander."

“Yes, ma’am.” The newly-minted Lieutenant Commander had never expected the promotion or the assignment. Indeed, he assumed the cadets’ complaints (unfounded as they were, coming from weak-willed children who couldn’t tell a plasma relay from a self sealing stem bolt without his firm guidance) would result in him being forced out of the fleet and into some kind of civil or corporate service. But Alexander Espersen was being given an opportunity, and explicit orders to change how he worked. He’d do his job. He’d do well at it. Hopefully the Chimera’s engineering staff were more competent then the cadets.

The Commodore's eyes swiveled back to Jason, "As for you, Lieutenant Beauvoir, you have a rather checkered history and a penchant for let's say... Independent decision making. That's going to get you in even more trouble if you can't curb it. But, you've also got a rather good ability with languages, which is the primary reason I pulled you off of Portland for this assignment." She gestured to the window, "Because you're going to be going places we haven't seen before. That's what the Luna-class was created for, going into the unknown and holding her own. New civilizations, new cultures, new languages."

"With all due respect, I prefer to call it thinking outside, the box, ma'am." Jason replied. "Not all problems can be solved by strict adherence to the the regulations, ma'am." He added. "That said, I look forward to this new assignment, and I will endeavour not to bring disgrace to the Federation, Starfleet or yourself, ma'am.

"If you think that you'd bring disgrace to me?" The Commodore shook her head slightly, "You'd have to think far outside the box to do that, Lieutenant. And I believe you'll fit in with Commander Skyie with your attitude about that as well. Tell me, Jason, what do you envision your role is going to be on that ship? With a whole Luna-class starship's Science section under your thumb?"

"As a department head, the bulk of my job is administration. Punctuated by the occasional analysis and rare new discovery, Ma'am." Jason replied. "I'll also advise the CO on Science matters, and in the very rare case we discover a new sentient race or society, I'd take part in the first contact mission. And if by some slim chance, I have some spare time, I might be able to teach the members of my department something, ma'am." He replied.

This place might actually be good, Alexander thought as he heard from both the Commodore and the new Science chief. Improvised solutions, outside-the-box thinking…so many commanders hated that sort of thing, not realizing how often ships are saved by someone who thinks obliquely to figure out how to put the square peg in the round hole.

Also this Beauvoir fellow wasn’t young. Alexander could work with someone who’s been around the block and knew what they were doing. He offered the man in teal a polite nod.

"Administration?" Erica Everly smiled, shaking her head, "Perhaps you didn't hear me about the vendetta that Admiral Towers has with this ship? Since most of the science crewers came aboard here, I got a report on what it's made up of and congratulations, you have mostly ensigns and rejects. The orders I received were to levy my own local starships for cadre and crew to make up Chimera's numbers. Needless to say, my other Captains didn't want to give up their best people."

The Commodore pushed herself to her feet and paced towards the window before turning back to the two officers in front of her desk, "I'm not going to dick around with either of you." She stated, "Chimera is not in the best shape or situation, but I aim to change that if at all possible. Lieutenant Beauvoir, your Science department is going to be the biggest opportunity to thrive. I hope you find a good Senior Chief to handle most of your paperwork, because you need to be as hands on with your people as you can be. A few are straight out of the Academy, the rest need a good role model, not someone who comes out of their office once a month to pat them on the head and take the credit. Skyie's reputation is to lead from the front, she was a Marine after all."

"You misunderstood my answer, ma'am, I merely stated how I thought my job would, not how I wanted it to be. My leadership style is hands on and I my not be a Marine, but I led by example." Jason clarified.

Switching back to the new Commander, Everly smirked once more, "And yet Lieutenant Beauvoir is in better shape than you are, Commander Espersen. Your department's got my own Assistant Engineer on board at the moment and I want him back before he costs me too much. I only let Skyie borrow him because otherwise her senior engineer is a Cadet who is just about to graduate from the Academy. The other Ensigns that were assigned to that ship aren't worth the crap they try to shovel into the furnace that isn't there."

“And yet, when I try to teach them, they whine about it,” Alexander commented wryly. “I’ll get them into shape, ma’am. But I’ll need enough of them. With enough raw recruits to throw at problems, surely some will take well to lessons.”

Everly sighed, "I'm trying to get more people for the both of you, for the other departments as well. But I'm only a Commodore, and others are attempting to get the same people for the same spots. We all have to do what we can do."

"Ma'am, If it is within your power, could you have my daughter assigned to the Chimera, she's a Science Cadet and I could use her in my department." Jason asked.

“I can make a short list of cadets that worked well under me,” Alexander offered as well. “Not many, mind, but they’re the type that might get overlooked by senior admirals.”

Everly looked back from one to the other officer, "You both WANT more cadets under you?" She let the question sit for a few seconds, "I can try to get your daughter there, but that one I'm going to kick over to Commander Skyie to give the go-ahead on. Some Captains are picky about that sort of thing." She tapped a finger on her arm, "And Commander, would one of those cadets you're talking about have the last name of Jade or Hanson by chance?"

"Thank you, Ma'am." Jason said detecting the under tones in the Commodore's words, especially those towards the Commander.

“Hanson doesn’t ring a bell, but Jade…” the engineer thought about the name. It was unique, and in just a moment a memory came to him. “Ah, yes. She’s one of the better ones. Always had creative solutions. If she made a mistake it was once and learned from it quickly.” He welcomed the chance to work with her again.

Everly gave Alexander a considering look, then ambled her way back to her desk and slid a drawer open and moved a few PADDs around in it before coming out with two and a pair of small boxes, glancing at each briefly, “Well then, as your first duties aboard Chimera, after formally reporting for duty of course, will be for each of you to promote one of your cadets to the rank of Ensign.”

Erica Everly slid a PADD to each of them, “Commander Esperson, that Cadet that has been all but running Chimera’s engineering section is that Jenna Jade of yours, did some sort of interesting fix to your dilithium crystals, I’ll let her explain it to you, I sure as hell can’t figure it out. I’ve also got a basic report on your engineering section on there, read it well, your new Ensign put it together.”

Alexander took the PADD and studied it. At a glance, it showed what he expected from the Commodore’s description: an incredibly creative solution to a massive hindrance to starship operation. “Yes, ma’am.”

Her gaze slid to Jason, “Lieutenant Beauvoir, your Cadet Minerva Delacroix didn’t distinguish herself nearly as dramatically, but she’s a cultural specialist that I think will be rather handy to you. I may eventually suggest she switch tracks to becoming a diplomat, but she’s young, should have plenty of time to prove herself.”

Jason accepted the little box. "I'll see that she gets that chance." Jason said.

“Now, I’d ordinarily send you out to meet your ship, but she’s running an errand for me and should be back in a couple days anyways. So, I have a task for the both of you.” The smile that crossed her face was one of a flag officer assigning what amounted to make-work to keep people busy, “As I’m sure you both know, the Luna-class has a mission pod. We’ve got a lovely fabrication center here on the Starbase, so I want you two to put your heads together to come up with what you’re going to stuff that mission pod with. I’m going to keep you in the area for a little, but after I get Chimera in for a refit, you’re going to be going places we don’t know what you will run into. Keep that last bit in mind.”

Jason waited for Esperson to answer, after all he was the ranking officer of the two.

“There are two standard pod designs for a Luna,” Alexander said, half explaining to the Commodore (who probably knew this), half working through it himself. “Scientific and Tactical. Truthfully neither is perfectly suited for an exploration vessel in deep space. Something a bit more customized…scientific facilities and additional weapons…may we have carte blanche on this, ma’am? Because I’m sure Mr. Beauvoir and I can design something spectacular, if unconventional.”

"Agreed." Jason said. "I can think of some diagnostic tools that can easily be adapted to function as weapons." He added.

"Then, Commander, Lieutenant, I believe the two of you have something to keep you busy for at least a couple of days." The Commodore leaned back in her obscenely comfortable chair, "You can put together whatever you believe is the best mix of science and tactical equipment, just remember that what you two design is what Chimera is going to take out into the unknown. Yes, Commander, carte blanche on this, see Lieutenant Blaskowicz in the shipyard and she'll help you out with the design and fabrication room."

“Understood.” Alexander was excited, if a bit confused. Four years kept under the rug as an instructor, he was certain his career was completely stagnant. Now, an opportunity to design something unique for a starship. It really did seem like someone was looking out for him. He would go find Lieutenant Blaskowicz with Lieutenant Beauvoir, in a few minutes.

Jason thought a moment, it was far from the strangest thing he'd done. After all, he'd had a relationship with a sentient hologram while aboard the Portland. "I'll take that as a dismissal, Commodore." Jason said and followed his new XO out of the office.

"Yes indeed." Erica Everly said as both officers left the office, that was two problems solved, now if only she could do the same for the rest of her problems.