Blue Moon

Posted on 21 Feb 2013 @ 7:50pm by Raifi Zaren & Trija Natyal

945 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo: Turbolift, Deck 4
Timeline: MD02: 0900

[ON]

Zaren pushed off the wall as Trija came around the corner and dropped into stroll with her, "Nice meeting this morning, boss-lady."

Trija held up a hand and continued speaking into the small device in her hand. "No, we're not sending it out in packets, I told you we're going to compile the data here and bring the whole set to the station when we're done and it's edited - don't even go there - right, look, I've got a thing with a Trill and his eye. I'll talk to you later." She rolled her eyes and hit end. She kept walking but at least acknowledged Zaren. "What do you need? I'm on my way -" she entered the turbolift. "Deck 4. On my way to see about getting us an escort. What's up?"

"Remember how I said that Jool was maybe not the energy we needed for this rigamarole?" he rolled his ring around his pinky. "I think I was wrong about that. For the story."

Trija gave an impatient sigh. "Okay. So you think she's right for the story. And wrong for what? Get to the point, Zaren."

"Remember how you also asked me to find a camera-man? And how I went and got you an award-winner, a stellar vidstory capturer who field reporters have actually gotten into fist fights over?"

"Yes, Zaren, I remember," Trija crossed her arms as the turbolift doors shut and leaned against the wall.

"She crushing him, Trija. She did it last night. She did it this morning, right in front of you."

"Did what?" Trija stopped the lift, staring up at him. Her eyes were endless and cold, space and nothing to the outside observer. "Speak plainly."

"I am," he looked at her. "She's crushing him. She insults me, too, and that's fine - I see where it's coming from. But he doesn't. This is a brilliant guy we're talking about here. We need him to be in his best form, capturing images of places no one's seen before, things that will catch spotlight and throw the story ahead. You can't sit by and let her talk to him like he's the idiot at the back of the class. It's bad form."

"Crushing him how?" Trija asked. "The only thing I saw back there was a spoiled little girl acting like a brat. Surely he's heard it all before. And you saw that entrance. He's not some innocent bystander, here. They're acting like children. Put them in their separate corners and take away their ice cream. I don't have time to babysit you all. What did she do last night?" Trija asked in exasperation.

"Aside from threatening him, insulting his artistic and professional integrity, and generally making a valiant attempt to squash his soul under her heel?" Zaren asked. "Have you taken a look through her belongings? The mountain of things she brought on board?"

"Threatening him?" Trija placed her hands on her hips. "I don't keep track of what she lugs around with her. It's a Federation starship, she'd have been searched and checked long before boarding. Why? What do you mean, threatening him? How?"

"Apparently, for all their security concerns, they didn't do a very thorough check," he told her. "It needs to be dealt with. I promised Eve we weren't going to cause any trouble on this ship. What she's got qualifies as trouble. As does her attitude. The fact she's being childish - and that we know that - doesn't change your responsibility to control it. Keep her on task and off Baker's back."

Trija made a frustrated noise and hit the start button. "For the sake of the Deities. Yes, it'll be dealt with. If not, we're looking at a trip to the brig." She was too impatient to go easy on the girl. She'd either smarten up or they'd be in the brig and off this boat before they could blink. She had no qualms about going to Holliday himself, even if it meant they didn't get the story. The wellbeing of her team was more important than that.

"Not fond of prisons, myself. Haven't been in one of the Federation cells, given, but even so." He exhaled, "She's a loaded phase-cannon. I see why you wanted her, but you have to aim her." He flexed his hands against his thighs. "I'm done. Just wanted to keep you in the loop."

"Keep it up," Trija nodded, scowling to herself. The lift doors opened and she met his eyes, more sincerely than before. "Thank you. For letting me know."

"Sure thing," he stayed on the lift as the doors closed behind her. It was never pleasant to be the one to bring these sorts of things to the attention of one's superiors, but it was a positive point that Trija respected him for it. Yes, people had personality disputes, and yes, it was tiring to deal with them from the outside, but bullying was an activity that had consequences and not everyone could take it for very long. He'd had experience with behavior like that over the last hundred and fifty or so years, and his was a culture of equanimity and eventual resolution. Terrans, though.... wars had sprouted on their planet over lesser insults than Jool had given and it was only the second day now. It if continued in equal virulence and consistency... how would they survive another three weeks without her attitude being checked?

[OFF]

Raifi Zaren
FNN Journalist
USS Galileo
(pNPC Lilou Peers)

Trija Natyal
Assistant Producer, FNN
USS Galileo
(PNPC Liyar)

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