Duty Calls

Posted on 22 Jan 2022 @ 7:07pm by Lieutenant Aria Rice & Ensign Amanda Turell
Edited on on 23 Jan 2022 @ 8:43pm

2,361 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: USS Galileo-A - Security Office
Timeline: MD 04, 1500 hrs

[ON]

Lieutenant Aria Rice had done one thing as soon as she had been able to. She had requisitioned a new chair. Because like Stark had said, the old one was cursed. And Aria, being a sensible, non-superstitious individual...had gotten rid of that chair. Because she would not have any bad juju coming off that chair. No Sir, not at all! She had also tried to get her own personality in the office a little and had spent a few hours...moving things. She had a sofa now, in the corner by the book case. There was the two chairs too, for whoever was coming to see her. She had gotten a plant in as well and beside the plant sat a crystal ball with a resin black cat resting on top of it. It was a fancy paper weight but she liked it. She could make a lot of jokes about that. Her drawer also had a bottle of vodka, because...those days would come.

She wore her hair tied up in a bun though, which she had not done since she had danced. It made her feel more grown up, but she also felt more exposed. Before her, on her screen, she had the service record of one of the new transfers. Well. New was a strong word because she had served on the Trial. And before that, 12 months of medical leave. She could request details, to find out what had happened to Ensign Amanda Turell...but Aria didn't. If it mattered, she would trust the woman to tell her.

Walking through the halls of the Galileo Amanda began to realise how small the ship was compared to her other postings. She'd get used to it anyway but would have preferred the Kali as her new posting rather than this little science ship, more chance to put her skills and the well tuned phaser rifle firmly slung across her back to use.

She passed through the doorway into the security office looking for the Lieutenant that had requested her presence.

Aria had kept the doors to her office open so when she saw Amanda walk past she stood. "Hey!" she called out, giving a quick smile and a wave. "Ensign Turell...come on in, grab a seat..." she stopped when she saw the phaser rifle, her eyes taking it in before she let out a low whistle. "Custom job?" Because the grip looked different.

"Very custom, Ma'am." Amanda replied, she slung the type 3b phaser rifle to her front so she could sit comfortably and sat down.

Aria nodded and sat down as well. "Afraid I can't have you walk around with it though," she said softly, smiling weakly. "I'm Lieutenant Rice, your Chief. And unfortunately, only type II phasers on duty unless approval has been given...which is usually red alert scenarios or away teams into hostile situations."

"With all due respect Lieutenant, I'm not going anywhere without this." Amanda said, unconsciously she held her rifle tightly almost digging her nails into its casing.

Aria's eyes were gentle as she watched her. "You may have to," she said softly, keeping herself relaxed despite a small part inside of her wanting to tense up at the grip the woman had gotten on the rifle. "Could you tell me why you aren't going anywhere without it?" She wanted to give her a chance to explain.

Amanda looked down at her rifle for a moment, realising she was digging her fingers into it. "I'm a better shot with this than a type II." She started with a technical reason why she should keep it before adding "This is all I have left, everything I had on the Trial was destroyed and I mean everything, my quarters took a direct hit."

Aria nodded as she watched her, taking in what she was saying. "I...can't imagine how it must have been to lose all your belongings, things that had...meaning for you," she told her, taking a slow breath. "But I am going to have to insist. You can either lock it in your locker in the armoury, or I can clear it to be in your quarters, locked up. But you will be carrying a type II phaser on duty, just like the rest of us. And you won't be carrying a weapon when you are off duty." She tried to make her voice firm, and it was, but also slightly apologetic.

Slowly as if cradling a loved one for the last time Amanda slipped the her rifle off her shoulders, she hesitated still holding it for several seconds longer before carefully putting it on Aria's desk. "Alright." She eventually said.

Aria nodded as she watched her, taking a deeper breath as she stood. "Grab it and come with me," she said softly, motioning her to follow her towards the armoury. Might be good for her to lock it up herself rather than surrender it to Aria.

In a flash Amanda had it back in her hands and she stood up to follow Aria. "When the spiddies boarded the Trial," Amanda said as she walked. "This was the only thing that kept me and a bunch of the crew alive."

"I get that," Aria said and the doors opened for her. She led Amanda to the weapons lockers, turning to face her. "You get...attached to your tools. Like how it feels, how safe it makes you feel. Makes you feel like you got a fighting chance."

"This isn't just a tool, it is my weapon, mine." Amanda found an unregistered weapons locker and entered her thumb print into it to register it to her and only her. "I built it, tuned it, taken and saved lives with it."

Aria nodded before she chuckled softly. "In which case, do you mind that tomorrow we look at it and register it properly with the ship as a modified but licensed weapon?" she asked, watching the other woman closely. "Unless that is already on your record?"

"It is registered as my personal weapon." Amanda said, she opened the locker, lifting her rifle up with her right hand, it slowly shook as she hesitated.

"Good," Aria said, her voice quiet as she watched the other woman. Who was going to give Aria a neck-ache at this rate, she was so tall! "Means less paperwork for me." She didn't chivvy her, clearly it was an emotional moment and Amanda needed to take her time to do it. Hell, Aria was willing to bet her left buttock that the woman slept with the weapon beside her.

Eventually Amanda carefully put her rifle into the arms locker and closed the door and locked it, sighing heavily.

"Come, let's have a chat," Aria said softly, walking to the door. "I'm still trying to get my head around the new position, so you'll have to forgive me if I forget something."

Though she'd stored her rifle away Amanda quickly moved to another locker and drew a Type II phaser and a holster before joining Aria. She gave her a look that screamed 'don't argue'

Aria looked at her for a moment before she smiled, unable to hold back her laugh. "Wow, never knew I was so intimidating people had to arm themselves around me. Totally going to take that onboard," she said jokingly, more to ease that look on her face. Whatever Amanda had seen or done, Aria was going to make sure she had a Counselling appointment lined up for her. Because it wouldn't be healthy to be running that high on anxiety day in and day out.

Amanda let out the smallest of chuckles. "What would you like to chat about?"

"Well...you," Aria said as they strolled down the corridor. Both on duty and maybe it would make it more informal if they did walk a bit. "What you want to do, what your ambitions are."

Slowing for a moment Amanda quickly fell back into step, that was far down in the list of questions she was expecting, almost at the bottom. "Stay alive, keep my friends alive, get back to full strength."

"Alright," Aria said softly, clearly thinking about it. "How can I help you get back to full strength so that you can achieve the two other goals?" she asked bluntly, turning her head to look at her. And yes, her neck was starting to hurt at looking up at her. Maybe she should have stood on a chair in her office instead.

"Other than letting me target practice whenever I want, you can't." Amanda replied. "I assume you have looked at my medical file?"

"There's a note, but I didn't read it," Aria admitted as she shook her head, the smile to came her a little subdued. But honest. "I thought if you wanted to tell me, fine...if not, then...maybe in time you'd trust me enough to tell me."

"My assignment to the Trial was supposed to be something quiet while I finished my recovery, I needed to get back to duty as I was going stir crazy sat useless while I leaned how to use my right arm again." Amanda started to explain.

Aria nodded, their walk naturally leading them back to the Security Department. She led her to her office and motioned for Amanda sit down, sitting down as well as she watched the woman...letting her talk.

Amanda sat down. "I got hurt, bad. Disruptor shot to the shoulder, nearly lost my arm entirely."

"Sorry to hear that," Aria said softly, a slight frown coming to her. "Glad that you kept it though and are able to return to your post. So that is why you need to do the firing range, finding your new style?"

"My arm is not as strong or stable as it used to be, I could knock the ears off a ferengi at nearly 1km with my rifle before I got injured." Amanda held her right arm out and within a few seconds it started to shake slightly. "Now a few of my nerves are shot and I get the shakes."

Aria nodded as she watched the arm before she met her eyes again. "Any more rehab for it, or have you just been told to keep using it?" she asked softly, wanting to get a picture of what she would need. How Aria could make sure Amanda was performing to the best of her abilities and feel confident in the job.

"Keep using it, keep exercising but don't go over the top." Amanda told her. "I'm still a good shot with my left arm, had to learn to use my left for everything, lost the use of my right arm for a few months."

Aria took the words in before she let out a breath. "Okay," she said softly, sitting back. "Then that is what you do. If you need some lighter duties, let me know. I won't...adjust without you telling me. You know yourself and I trust you to make that call."

"I don't need any special treatment, I'm good to go." Amanda said although it wasn't strictly true.

"Know your limits, physically," Aria said as she watched her, smiling gently. "I never asked for special treatment either, but I didn't volunteer to reach the top shelf if I knew I couldn't reach." A metaphor, and a bit different scenarios but she hoped that the other woman got her meaning.

Ever so slightly Amanda rolled her eyes. "Believe me, I know my limits, I've had plenty of time to find out what they are."

"Good," Aria said softly, with a small nod. She had seen the eyeroll and she got it, but even so...this was important. "Because if you overdo it on my watch, I'll get in trouble and I really don't want to get in trouble in a new posting."

"Don't worry, I won't." Amanda offered as good a reassuring smile as she could muster.

"Okay," Aria let out a soft breath before she chuckled. "Do you have any questions for me, Ensign Turell?" she asked, wanting to open the floor to the other woman.

"Is there actually much for us to do here?" Amanda asked. "Such a small ship and a dedicated science one at that."

Aria watched her for a long moment before she looked down. "Problem with a sciency brainy ship is that common sense is like...zero," she said and met her eyes. "They see something interesting? They go up to it and poke it. And when it attacks them, they wait for us to deal with it...and then go and poke it again. This little ship has seen more weird and dangerous stuff than you can ever imagine."

"Scientists and explorers are always getting themselves in trouble," Amanda smiled slightly. "preferred the simple life of hunting down criminals back on the Exeter."

Aria laughed at that and nodded, raising an eyebrow. "I did border patrol with the Saratoga. Have to admit, I sometimes miss the pirates...and smugglers. Especially the smugglers."

"One of them didn't miss me." Amanda said referring to the disruptor shot she mentioned earlier, "he got me good."

Aria gave a small nod, watching her for a moment. "I was lucky. Knife to the stomach instead," she said softly. It was a dangerous job. But they still did it because they believed in it. "We...should not be travelling in those circles here. Mad scientists though...plenty of them."

Amanda was glad her new boss had gotten into some decent scraps. "I'll be sure to keep my eyes open for any of their madcap scheme's."

"Good..." Aria gave a quick nod before she smiled. "Dismissed, I suppose? Sounds all...professional. My suggestion? Do a patrol around the ship, get to know her. If I need you, I'll get a hold of you."

Standing up Amanda nodded, a familiarization patrol was a good idea. "Understood, good day Lieutenant."

[OFF]

--

Ensign Amanda Turell
Security Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Mimi]

Lt. Aria Rice
Chief Security Officer
USS Galileo-A

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