Fit For Purpose

Posted on 04 Apr 2022 @ 5:18pm by Lieutenant Aria Rice & Ensign Amanda Turell

1,485 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: Deck 5, USS Galileo-A
Timeline: MD-06, 07:05

[ON]

"Turell," Aria wiped the sweat off her brow, looking at the other woman, a slight frown coming to her. "Do you mind coming with me for a quick chat?" She was tired, her body feeling everything they had done, even if she felt good for it. But what it had showed her was that there were some things Amanda couldn't do, which meant that as her Chief she had to put in the proper safeguards for her. Which meant having to talk. First proper thing as a Chief, Aria supposed. Let's hope I am equipped to do this, she thought.

"Sure Lt." Amanda said, she had a feeling what this conversation would be about, apart from the press ups she had done relatively well all things considered.

Aria nodded, leading her to the turbolift and then to the Security office. She walked in, going to sit against the desk, watching Amanda. "You're still healing," she finally said. "And I want to make sure I don't get you into anything that will hurt that. So...do you think we need to have you on reduced duties? At least the heavy lifting side of it?"

"Failing at doing press ups is not the same as failing in a firefight Sir." Amanda remarked, she sat down in one of the other chairs.

"No, but if there is an altercation and you get shoved into the bulkhead..." Aria's voice was gentle as she watched her, holding her eyes. "It may cause more damage."

"Permission to speak freely Sir." Amanda asked, she knew what she wanted to say but it didn't feel right to just say it straight.

"Of course," Aria said and made a motion with her hand for her to go on, because she wanted Amanda to be comfortable to say what she wanted to say.

"I.... don't really care if I get hurt anymore, after what I've already been through, what's a little more pain." Amanda said before adding. "They already said I'm never going to be the same again so the best I can do is live with it."

Aria watched her, holding her eyes for a long moment. "I care," she finally said. "I am your Chief, Turell. I have a responsibility towards you, for you to thrive in your job and exposed only to the risks necessary. If it means I have to adapt some of your duties, I will do it. That's my job. I can't have you suddenly being confined to sickbay because a brawl went wrong, when I know that the best thing is to have someone else take those duties. Now, I can't do anything for away teams that require us, or ship battles, or exploding consoles. But I can do something about your day to day."

"I would prefer it if you didn't, but I know I don't really have a choice." The last thing she wanted was to not be allowed to do her job.

"I know," Aria said and gave her a weak smile. "So I want to do this properly. So we are both on the same PADD on it. I'll go and review the tasks, do risk assessments, and we'll review together. We're not a big department, so if there is a crisis...all bets are off. I am talking day to day here, Turell." She paused before she let out a breath. "Thoughts?" She would take any reaction from the other woman. Even if it was anger. "Still speaking freely."

"Alright," Amanda eventually said, Aria did have a point but it wasn't ideal for her or the department as a whole, having one of its limited staff only be able to attend some of the potential incidents and at the same time this represented the 'special treatment' she'd told Aria she didn't want. "But you're going to find out this is all unnecessary, I'm just as able as anyone else in this department"

"It's not forever," Aria said, meaning it as she gave a small nod. "Just until you've recovered. We'll keep reviewing it, once a month." She held her eyes for a moment before she looked away. "And it isn't about ability, it is about responsibility. If I didn't care, I'd just ignore it. And then shrug if your injury got worse."

"I understand your responsibility." Amanda said, pausing to shake off a couple of twitches in her fingers. "If my injury gets worse it will be my fault, because I wasn't good enough at my job, that is my responsibility, to be the best I can be at my job."

"Hey," Aria frowned as she looked at her, shaking her head. "It's not about being good or not good. Hell, judging by your record...what I have seen anyway, you're brilliant at your job. Sometimes, stuff just happens. Can't fight it, so you roll with the punches. In your case, getting yourself physically better, and then I can hide behind you..." she added a small smile at the end of it. "You know, so I don't scuff my boots or anything...have to keep some standard as a Chief..."

"I was brilliant at my job," Amanda said ignoring Aria's attempt at lightening the situation a little. "until this happened." she motioned at the bundle of scars around her shoulder.

Aria looked at her, nodding as she watched her, looking at the scars for a moment and then back to her face. "It isn't forever," she finally said. "And you will get yourself back to it. I just want to make sure you do so safely."

"I don't want safe, I would have stayed at home on earth if I wanted safe or retired after getting fucked up." The twitching in Amanda's hand was getting more intense. "But I didn't, I got them to patch me up and send me back into the fight and thats where I want to be, in the thick of it."

Aria's eyes briefly went to the hand, before she met her eyes for a long moment. "I'm afraid that isn't your call," she said, her voice quiet. "Another Chief might not be as cautious as I am. But I am who I am, and I only know one way to be. And with my personnel, it means being careful. We will review. This is about day to day duties, I know Medical cleared you to work, so for away teams, I will have no say. But I do control the day to day. We'll review it again after the mission. If you have recovered more, we will look at putting you back on patrol. For now, I want you mostly to do bridge duty and paperwork."

Amanda sighed slightly, bridge duty could be interesting though she was trained more for the security side than the tactical side but it was far from what she wanted; the same with paperwork. It was looking like the best she was going to get though. "Fine, it's better than nothing I suppose."

Aria watched her, not needing to be a Betazoid to tell that Amanda was not pleased. She gave a small nod. "Go and shower...and then I suppose we get the...social breakfast."

Amanda nodded slightly, breakfast was certainly on her mind, though eating with the entire command team plus the other officers wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind. "What is on the agenda for today?"

Aria considered it, before she gave her a small smile. "We have a lot to go through, that we didn't get the chance to before departure. I think we should start at the top. I did a start on checking the torpedoes, so I will continue that." She stopped before she frowned. "You know, this training has messed up our shift pattern. Come back around...1500 hours. I'll get a start on things, then you can come up. I promise I will have the shift patterns sorted out properly by the time you are back."

"Understood." Amanda said, as much as she wanted to get to work straight away; after breakfast and a shower of course, her shoulder ached like crazy and some time to let it rest would be really helpful.

Aria nodded, giving her a smile before she nodded. "Dismissed," she said, trying the word out, with an easy smile. She herself would have to throw on a uniform, with a quick wash, partake in the least appealing breakfast date of this century, then onto work. It would have to do.

Standing Amanda headed for the door, she waited till the door had shut behind her and the corridor around her was clear before punching the wall with her good hand. "goddamit." she almost shouted then storrmed off in the direction of her quarters.

[OFF]

Lt. Aria Rice
Chief of Security
USS Galileo-A

&

Ensign Amanda Turell
Security Officer
USS Galileo-A

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