First Impressions

Posted on 23 Sep 2015 @ 9:45pm by Ensign Miriam Kallan & Captain Jonathan Holliday

1,223 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 09 - Empires
Location: USS Galileo - Deck One - Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 02 - 1400hrs

[ON]


Miriam was utterly and ridiculously happy. This was her first assignment, her first vessel, her first crew and she just wanted to giggle like a maniacal school girl. However, she knew better than that. She could save the giddiness for her quarters. Til then, she had the faintest hint of a smile painted across her lips. Her bright red hair was pulled back into a loose braid at the nape of her neck with a few loose strands framing her face. She definitely looked like a fresh-faced Ensign and she knew it. It didn't matter though, she didn't care what others thought. She was happy, and that was that.

Miriam moved through the halls with a bounce in her step. It was a nice ship, to be certain. She loved every inch of it. Although, it could use a bit of color. Even Vulcan's appreciated aesthetics. Although, they didn't exactly decorate their ships either. Regardless, their homes were beautiful and full of culture. Despite the reputation of her adoptive parent's race, Vulcans had a beautiful culture and fine array of art and such. She would miss Vulcan, but she had plenty of things from home to make her feel at ease. Her mother had made certain she had a set of meditation candles, and plenty of nice fabric.

As Miriam approached the Captain's office she got a small case of nervous jitters and reached out to press the call button. Puffing out her cheeks she waited for permission to enter. She had no idea what sort of person this Captain was, but she hoped she would enjoy working under him. All she knew really what what she'd read for his Starfleet record. She had wanted to know what she was getting into, but it was clear, records never really told the personality of a person or if you'd get along or not.

"Enter." Came the captain's reply. His usual single word response to his door chime traditionally being enough to call whoever was waiting on the other side to his presence.

Once she was given the go ahead to enter, the young El-Aurian did just that, the same light smile painted on her lips. She stood properly, her voice coming out strong and possibly overly cheerful. "Ensign Miriam Kallan reporting for duty, sir!" Bright green eyes looked straight forward, resistant the urge to look directly at him until she was permitted.

"Ensign. At ease before you strain something." Holliday replied, putting down his PADD and looking up at the rather young face gazing down at him, or at least, gazing at the wall behind him. Obviously the Academy penchant for teaching new officers not to stare at their superiors was in overdrive as usual.

"And take a seat. I can't have a conversation with someone standing over me. Makes me feel uncomfortable. So....your assignment here is your first if I remember my reading of the new crew transfers before we left for the NIMBUS exercises?"

Miriam blinked a few times as the Captain told her to calm down, offering him a slightly embarrassed smile before moving to sit down as she'd been told. She sat in the seat in an unconsciously Vulcan way; back straight, hands lightly placed in her lap, knees gently touching. Even though she was clearly not unemotional like Vulcans, it was also quite clear that some Vulcan traits had rubbed off on her.

At the Captain's question, the young El-Aurian nodded, her light smile never fading from her lips, "Yes, sir. I'm quite excited about being here. I assure you, I will do my best in every duty I'm assigned." And she meant it. She couldn't promise to get everything right, but she would most certainly try. It was what a Starfleet Officer did, wasn't it?

"It's not me you have to impress Ensign - although I'm sure that helps." Holliday replied, forcing himself to break his usually cold exterior and offer a short yet friendly smile.

Impress him? Did he think she was trying to impress him? She was just being honest. Perhaps her exuberance was a bit too much for him. Miriam inwardly shrugged. She was too much for most Vulcan's too. No matter, she was who she was, it was hard to change that. Although, perhaps she should trying relaxing a bit more around superior officers, within reason...maybe.

"Galileo is a small ship - the crew have to work in close contact with one another on a daily basis - there isn't much privacy around here. I appreciate that can be a little...unsettling for a newly graduated officer. Do you think you will be able to adapt?"

Miriam listened attentively as he spoke, her body language engaged in his words. She gave a light giggle as he finished, and nodded. "It should be no trouble at all, sir. I enjoy the company of others. Being alone is boring. I think it will be enjoyable to be able to be around people more often, sir."

"Correct answer." Holliday replied, nodding a few times before folding his arms on the desk in front of him.

Miriam couldn't help but give a smile at his two little words of aproval. That little twinge of joy people got when they were given positive words jumped through her. Okay, so maybe she did want to impress him, she realized, but she wanted to do it by being herself.

"Have you checked in with your department head yet? And I'm sure my First Officer, Commander Stace will wish to make an introduction?"

At his questions she nodded slowly, "I had a very brief introduction to my department head, sir. Very brief, but we met. In regards to Commander Stace, no sir, I haven't had the opportunity. I'll make a point to meet him." The red head kept her attention focused on him, doing her best to keep her habitual smiling from being too much. "Is there anything else I should know, sir?"

"Other than Commander Stace being female, no. However she is a Trill and host to a symbiont so I suppose she was technically male at some point in her past." He replied without taking too long to focus on the answer to his own statement. Trill lineage was enough to give anyone a headache.

Miriam laughed nervously in an effort to not look mortified. "Of coarse, female. Sorry sir." She swallowed hard and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. How could she have made such an egregious mistake. She'd read the basics of the command staff before coming to familiarize herself. It seemed she was far more nervous than she thought she was.

"You are dismissed if you have no further questions."

Miriam nodded at that and stood, "Of course, sir, sorry, sir." Her hand went up instinctively, to begin to form the traditional Vulcan farewell, but that was for long farewells. She fumbled halfway through, realizing she shouldn't have done that, and put her hand down. Her mistake about Stace's gender had gotten her rattled and she just laughed nervously to try to push away her tension. "Wow, lovely first impression, eh, sir?" She chuckled again and since she had permission already, she turned and took her leave.


[OFF]

CAPT Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Miriam Kallan
Xenobiologist
USS Galileo

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