New Perspective

Posted on 22 Feb 2016 @ 1:05am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Captain Jonathan Holliday & Chief Warrant Officer 2 Anthony Duval

1,694 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 1, Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD81 - 1000Hrs

[ON]

The airlock hatch opened as a massive hulking brute of a man stepped forward, he wore his uniform well as he hauled a massive pack on his back as he smiled. "So... this is the Galileo." he muttered to himself.

"Can I help you sir?"

"That's Chief to you mate." Duval answered. "permission to come aboard?" he asked the nameless guard, he nodded. "Of course.. my apologies.."

Duval smiled. "Its all good Ensign." he caught a glance at the man's rank. "I'm new aboard."

"Quartermaster is just down the hall, forth on the left.... Chief." he smiled. "Sorry... almost called you sir."

"I get that a lot... I don't get angry as most tend to do... I keep things in perspective. Thanks for the directions." Duval turned as he saluted the ships colors, he then made his way down the hallway. He looked at the Quartermaster. "Hey, I'm one of your new Engineers.. mind of I leave my gear here... so I can go report in?"

"Yah, sure mate. Leave yer stuff right there." the guy with the funny accent indicated a chair, Duval lowered his duffel, his pack and his bag all onto the chair. "Thanks." Duval turned and stepped back into the hallway. He turned left before making his way down the hallway. He reached a turbolift as he tapped the 'call' button. before settling in to wait.

The hatch opened moments later before he entered. He sighed "Bridge." before the lift doors closed and sped away, rushing Duval to his destination.

The doors opened before Duval stepped out. His six foot one frame and two hundred pounds of muscle said a great deal. He took a moment to look around before he went over to the ready room door before he tapped the chime.

"Enter!" called out Saalm who was currently inside the ready room discussing operational resupply matters with the ship's captain. The two of them -- both John and Lirha -- sat across from each other at the desk, and the interruption was a welcome one for the Orion who was beginning to be quite bored with the administrative matters involved with spacedock protocols. Welcoming a break in the conversation, she turned from her seat across from Holliday to look towards the door.

Duval tapped the door release, the doors parted and he entered the ready room. "Warrant Officer Second Class Anthony Duval, reporting for duty." he announced himself. "sir." he added a moment later. He took a moment to take in the scene before him and at the Orion female and the human male seated around the table.

A new crew member, it seemed. Lirha knew of several new personnel joining the ship during their stay at Jupiter Station but hadn't bothered to keep track of the various arrival dates. That was, afterall, Holliday's jurisdiction. "At ease, Mister Duval. Please have a seat," she replied, gesturing towards the vacant chair next to her across the table from the captain. "I trust you have had a chance to stow your belongings already?"

"I did. Yessir." Duval responded before he slipped his massive form into the chair as indicated, he placed his hands on the table as he regarded the Orion female before him.

"Yes ma'am." Holliday corrected, gesturing towards the Admiral. He had always preferred his crew to address Lirha with the correct gender tone regardless of naval traditions that had made their way into Starfleet.

"Welcome aboard. Mr Duval joins our Engineering department Ma'am." Holliday replied, recognizing the slightly blank look on Lirha's face that came with her not having to keep fully up to date with the crew manifest in her new position.

"I'm sure Lieutenant Kirilova will welcome the extra pair of hands."

Duval regarded Holliday, while he quickly recalled what he had read of the other man's service jacket, before recalling the man was militaristic by nature. "Yessir." Duval responded, addressing Holiday.

Jonathan raised an eyebrow at the relatively short responses of the man in front of him. He was obviously nervous - the usual reaction he Holliday supposed when faced with nothing but an Admiral and a Captain for conversation.

"We're a small ship Mr Duval - and an equally small crew. It would be worth making an effort to meet the rest of your department promptly - integration is always key around here."

Duval decided to remove the screech rhino in the room. "Premission to speak freely?" he directed to Holliday as he looked at him and not at the Admiral.

"Of course," answered Saalm on the captain's behalf. "What is on your mind?"

Duval raised an eyebrow. "I must inquire as to why a militaristic Captain would be assigned to a Science Vessel." he kept his tone gentle because he knew that some would take offense to the question. "I read your file sir... thats why I ask." he addressed Holliday.

Holliday cringed inside at the question. The Holliday that left San Francisco as a Lieutenant Commander would have been asking the same question all those months ago, but the now-Captain had a very different outlook on the tiny ship.

"Suffice to say, Command believed my abilities were best suited here - to bring a more experienced pair of hands aboard in case of emergency." He replied, narrowly trying to avoid the point that the real reason for his assignment was having gotten on the wrong side of too many Admirals who saw this posting as some sort of practical joke.

"We still have our share of combat engagements - even if they aren't exactly what we go looking for."

"I see." Duval answered. "Okay thank you for your candor on the matter.." he paused. "Is there anything special about this ship I should know about?" Duval inquired polity.

Lirha held back a bit of internal laughter and cast Holliday a brief sideways glance before answering the warrant officer's question. "We are a planetary science vessel, Mister Duval. I suppose that alone makes us special. Most of our crew are highly-educated scientists and researchers -- in a sense, we are a mobile science platform. A small one, of course."

Duval shifted his attention from Holliday to the Orion woman who he had originally dismissed but then he had realized who she was. "The scuttlebutt says a lot about about the crew of this particular ship." Duval rumbled. "However... I'm sure I will fit in alright."

"The scuttlebutt?" Lirha raised her eyebrows and glanced towards Holliday then back to Duval, not sure if she understood the Terran slang.

Duval saw her hesitation before he explained. "The rumor mill, Admiral" he rumbled. "People tend to be rather .... free with their information... Rule one hundred and ninty... Hear all but trust nothin'."
Duval added.

Yes, of course. Rumors. The oral history of a sim and its current events, the ever-changing dynamic of social life aboard every Starfleet vessel. "Rumors provide insight, but do not always tell the truth. For that, you will need to experience for yourself," responded Saalm who was now leaning back casually in her chair and forming her opinions of the new crew member.

"Do you have any questions for us before you begin your new assignment?" she proceeded to ask, affording the man a chance to learn more about the ship, its mission, and its crew.

Duval sat back in his chair, while he considered the question. "I do have a few questions... " he paused. "I heard a story of someone planting marijuana plants in the ships arboretum." he suddenly felt silly for mentioning it. "Like I said... the rumor mill but that I wanted to ask about." he paused while he waited for the response.

"The proponents of that rumor had better hope that a rumor is all it is." Holliday replied in a cold tone, shuddering to think that there might be narcotic substances aboard his ship.

"Certainly if such a thing were true, and this Captain were to find out about it...well....I will let the rumor mill answer that question too."

Duval regarded Holliday. "I have no troubles with that... sir." he responded softly. "Some people.." he shook his head. "In any event... Is there anything I should know... regarding the crew... weird people I should watch for or crazies I might get along with?" he inquired.

Yes, many, thought Saalm to herself with an amused curl to the edges of her gold lips. "I would suggest heading down to deck 7 after you have settled aboard. We have a small bar and lounge there which will allow you to observe the crew in a more...natural environment. Perhaps it will allow you to figure out who is crazy and who is weird?" she proposed.

"I should drop by sickbay first... Make sure all is well before settling in in the lounge.." Duval responded. "I heard one of your crazies works in there... But that again... is just a rumor."

"'Crazy' is relative, Mister Duval. I would guess that you would be considered as such if you boarded a Tellarite vessel..." She had a quick internal musing of such a situation before continuing. "I prefer the term 'unique'. After all, we are a diverse Starfleet crew that is perhaps at its most normal at present moment."

"If I was to serve on a Tellerite vessel... then I would get into arguments with everyone... They've love it but I'd hate it." he sighed. "Is there anything special you require of me before I go and settle in ma'am?" he inquired of the Admiral, because Holiday was rather militaristic. "I'd like to get to work.. Things to fix and all that."

Lirha saw no reason for the new warrant officer to linger about in the ready room any further. Herself and Holliday needed to continue their discussion which was delayed upon the man's arrival. She gave a single nod and motioned towards the door to indicate his dismissal. "Very well. You are dismissed....and welcome aboard."

[OFF]

--

RADM Lirha Saalm
Mission Advisor
USS Galileo

CAPT Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Warrant Officer 2nd Grade Anthony Duval
Engineer
USS Galileo

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