What you bring to the table

Posted on Tue Jul 11th, 2017 @ 8:45am by Commander Bertrand Cuprum

Mission: Awakening
Location: XO office
Timeline: En route

Bertrand had been looking at the list of prospective Security and Tactical officers to take over from Kevin. One name that he had not expected had come forward; Jamie McCarver.

She was very young, but her bio was impressive; active duty during the Dominion war, early admission to the academy, very high marks on graduation. There were a few areas of concern that he felt needed to be addresses.

He tapped his com pin.

=^= Commander Bertrand to Lieutenant McCarver. Report to my office please. =^=

=^= Affirmative, Commander Bertrand. =^=

Jae pulled her shirt down with a sharp tug. She sighed and headed off to the bridge, trying to keep a lid on her bubbling emotions. Not that it showed on the outside.

As she walked, she tried to avoid making eye contact with the rest of the crew. She got to know the pattern on the carpet very well. What was she so anxious about?

She found herself at the XO's door. The sign on the door announced she was at the right place. She pressed the chime to announce her arrival.

"Enter" came Bertrand's voice.

He looked up as the young, purple haired woman appeared at the door.

"Come in, Lieutenant," He said gesturing with one hand to a seat. He could read her bubbling emotions as easily as the PADD in his hand. "I was just looking over your file and I wanted to ask you about a couple of points."

"It says here that in your second year of Academy training you were involved in an incident with a Nausican civilian at a local bar where you 'Hit him with a table'. Is that correct?"

"Well...yeah." Jae fidgeted with embarrassment.

"And then on your first year out you subdued a hostile Klingon Ambassador by, again, 'Hitting him with a table'."

"He was asking for it."

Bertrand flashed her a look then continued, "Then on the Sutherland there was an an altercation with a senior officer, caught attempting to sabotage the ship. You hit him... with a chair?"

"There were no good tables around!"

Bertrand put the PADD down and looked hard at the young Scott, "I am going to hope, Lieutenant, that there have been some issues in your Security position that you have been able to resolve without the use of Hand-to-hand furniture?"

Jae thought back to her missions, counting off all that didn't end with a table to a face. There weren't that many.

"Does a log count?"

Bertrand blinked twice. He opened his mouth to speak, found there was nothing he could say. The woman was straight forward and to the point. The truth was the officer in command at the time of each incident had back up her actions, even adding a commendation in one case.

"Lieutenant, you are a blunt instrument," he said simply. "If it wasn't for the other items I have read in your record, I would recommend you to Marines, rather than security."

"However, I read here that at age 7 you protected a class room of minors from a Cardassian attack by incapacitating the Gul in charge..."

"Table," Jae provided.

"And the Klingon Ambassador was threatening to knife the Romulan delegate at the talks. The Chief of security actually selected to send you after the potential saboteur, fully expecting your direct response to protect the crew."

Bertrand sat back and steepled his fingers. The girl was nervous, but there was nothing but protective feelings over the crew and none of the dangerous aggression he would normally take as a warning sign.

"Your name has come up for a senior role," Bertrand explained, "but you are something of an unknown. You are very young for such a senior role, but you have plenty of experience. I am going to suggest to the Captain that we monitor your performance in the up coming missions to determine your acceptability for the role."

"If you haven't read the mission brief do so. Get yourself to medical for a check and, if you have not already met the Captain, go and introduce yourself. Try not to hit him with a table."

"I cant make any premises... But ill try not to!"

Bertrand sighed and shook his head, "Dismissed."