Reporting for duty.

Posted on Mon Jun 1st, 2015 @ 9:52pm by Commander Bertrand Cuprum

Mission: Debts to be settled......
Location: Security
Timeline: Prior to Away team

It was the nerve wracking moment Kevin had been dreading, introducing himself to his immediate superiors, the Chief and Assistant Chief of Security. Not nerve wracking in the sense of being frightened, more to do with having to get to know whole new crew now that he'd moved on from the USS Frannery.

As he approached the Chiefs office, he went over in his head again what his father had taught him when meeting people for the first time.....

...."And remember Kevin, eyes and ears open, listen to what the people are saying and answer only when asked a question. Be brief with your replies, only give what they ask for, if they want to know more they'll ask you. Better to be frugal with your reply than be over the top and bore them to death or frighten them off!"

With one last sigh, he reached out for the buzzer next to the door and pressed it. Hoping to be able to meet both of his senior officers at the same time, he awaited a reply from within.

Bertrand groaned and put his head on his desk. He pondered again the implications of having Engineering simply disable the door chime, but what good was a security officer, if no one could reach him. He just hoped the rest of his staff would turn up soon so he could hand on some of the work load. His 2IC was somewhere on the ship, but she hadn't reported in yet.

Sitting straight again he called, "It's open!"

Sela hadn't been sleeping well. It was hard to get used to not having the feeling of the woman she loved sleeping beside her in a cramp starfleet bunk. She'd woken up twice and nearly panicked that she wasn't there. She could still see her green eyes every time she closed her eyes. After a few coffees, she was feeling better. She needed to report to the chief and was heading there now.

Coming around the corridor she smiled at the human standing by the door. Another new face to meet. Before she could say anything the human entered the security office which she quickly followed in behind.

She gave a smile to the human behind the desk before adopting the standard Starfleet salute. " Lieutenant JG Wakeman reporting for duty."

As Kevin entered, he was about to say something to the seated Lieutenant when another person came into the room, stood beside him and spoke first. Still looking ahead, he swiveled his eyes to see who it was who had spoken and saw the Gold uniform of Security and the Lieutenant Junior Grade pips.

Deciding it was best to allow the senior officers to converse first, he waited his turn to speak.

Bertrand sat back in his chair as his small office began to fill with people, "By the Great Bird, and invasion. At ease Lt, before you concuss someone with your salute."

"Yes sir," Sela replied with a smile, dropping into the at ease position.

He turned to the human next to her, "And you are?"

"Ensign Kilbane Sir" Kevin replied, stepping forward and offering the PADD that had his transfer orders on it to the Lieutenant. "I recently transferred here from the USS Frannery."

"Kilbane, Kilbane," Bertrand mused taking the PADD. "Any relation to the Diplomatic family Kilbane?"

"Yes Sir, my father was Alistair, Lord Kilbane of Sanquhar, and a Senior member of the Cultural Diplomatic Corp" Kevin said "he tried to guide me into following in his footsteps, however, becoming a diplomat wasn't where I'd envisioned my future lying. Even though it was a part of my heritage, I wanted to do something else with my life" he finished.

"Heritage is worth what you make it worth, kid," Bertrand said stabbing a finger at his 2IC. "Take this one. By all blood rights she should be a pathological murderer, with the combined strength and passions of both her cultures. You're not a killing machine, are you Lieutenant?"

Sela was about to say something but decided against it. D’Annann was the kindest person she knew and was only passionate about one thing. Still better not mention she was engaged to a Romulan. " Only when I need to be sir. As long as you aren't pointing a gun at my head you'll find I'm a perfectly normal." She politely replied with a smile.

"See," Bertrand gestured. "If she had been a Klingon she would have been forced to assault me because I questioned her family. As it is she is just mildly offended that I insulted her..." Bertrand frowned, "nope, lost it. She remembered I was Betazoid before I got the full story. Well, done there. Good mental shielding, Lieutenant. I have no issue using my heritage and any other tool at my disposal to complete the task."

"I have a reputation as a cantankerous old sitck in the mud. I can live with that. I do stick to regulations and come down heavily on any who do not. Ask the CO about the time I arrested him. The thing is, this is a crew of children, most of them barely in their twenties, all caught up in their own private worlds, all keen to put themselves in harms way for adventure. It is my job... OUR job, to keep them safe on that adventure and make sure they all come home to brag about it."

"Now, both of you, I am going to need to start handing out assignments, so I need to know what aspect of Security and Tactical you both favour. Are you Tactical console types who prefer firing Photons to phase pistols? Are you body guards who like to be up close and personal to your charges? Are you strategists, preferring to monitor situations and advice from command position? What's your angles?"

"I prefer to think of myself as a jack of all trades, master of none, sir," Sela replied thinking back to the LT comments. She really didn't care about her biological parents especially her $£$%£ of a mother. Her biological father she'd never met and given her adopted father had passed on he didn't need her to defend him. So long as you didn't insult D’Annann you wouldn't have any problems with her.

Bertrand nodded, "A good fit for a Assistant Chief, Wakeman, and certainly makes delegation easier. What about you, Kilbane? Your record says you see yourself as something of a strategist. How are you at Tactics Console?"

"Strategist yes, but not behind a console Sir" Kevin replied "I believe my practical skills are my best strength, a definite hands on approach. It's not to say that I can't be strategic when behind a console, but I much prefer the 'hands on' approach to Security work, being involved with away teams, scouting, planning, bodyguard if you wish...I'm more of a 'doer' shall we say. It's also why I knew being a diplomat wasn't where my future lay...well, currently anyway."

"Damn," Bertrand sighed. "I was hoping for someone who would be happy to take the Tactical duties for me. Not really my cup of tea either as the expression goes. That's fine, I'll have a duty roster ready and sent to you so you know when you are on. We ship out soon and I still have to finish the strip clean of compromised Computers. Go and get unpacked, and make sure you report to the Captain. It seems he likes to meet all of his crew personally."

"Yes Sir" Kevin replied.


"Oh, and Kilbane," Bertrand added. "I know how easy appealing it can be to disappear inside a bottle. It is a fight I have lost many times," a dark shadow passed across Bertrands face. "What you do off duty is your own business, but if I catch you unfit on duty, even your own Parents won't be able to help you. Are we clear?"

"As crystal Sir" Kevin replied, and now a look of anguish and anger at the Lieutenants insensitive retort passed over his face as he added "though my father would be hard pushed to try Lieutenant, as you'll note from my bio, he's dead!"

Bertrand, perhaps surprisingly grinned, "There it is! I knew someone who could say no to the Kilbane legacy would have fire in them somewhere. Just had to find it. Good man. Don't take grief from anyone; there is enough to be found on its own. I am sorry for causing the upset."

Kevin simply couldn't believe that the Chief had used his political heritage and his fathers death as leverage to provoke a reaction out of him. There were certain lines that never got crossed and Lieutenant Cuprum had crossed two of them, by miles. He decided to say nothing and simply stare ahead of himself at the far wall, a neutral look now on his face, but inside, his trust of the Security Chief was non existent.

"Now, I am pretty sure I have already dismissed you both, so unless you enjoy hanging around with Mr Cranky, off you go."

" Yes, sir. If you need me for anything I'll be on my rounds. " Sela said with a smile as she turned and left the room. She had a good feeling about this position.

"Sir" Kevin replied and turned round and walked out of the office.

OFF

Lt Bertrand Cuprum, CTO

Lieutenant JG Sela Wakeman.

Ensign Kilbane, Security Officer.