Picking up the Pieces

Posted on 17 Oct 2012 @ 8:37pm by Lieutenant Kiri Cho

3,342 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo, Deck 4, Planetary Development Lab; Chief Science Officer's Office
Timeline: MD2 1825

[ON]

For the last few hours Kiri had been collecting reports, having set all the staff the job of inventory and damage appraisal. This was her first real chance to get around all the labs, trying to take account of everything. The crash and the battle had caused damage, several sensitive pieces of equipment were beyond repair, others needed weeks of work, it would be better to replace them as well. So each section had been spending the morning listing everything that worked and that didn't to match against the last inventory. Kiri was now trying to make sense of it all, already she had discovered that a case of Bio-mimetic gel was just not recorded rather than missing. Someone could blow up half a ship with that, not something she wanted to report to the captain. There was also that somehow the Planetary Geology lab had a spare quantum resonance scanner, seeing that Astronomical didn't even have one to start with. Something she'd have to fix, right now though she was waiting for a report the be cobbled together by the Botany Lab, since most of their samples were now dead thanks to a fire, a whole lot needed replacing.

Standing in the corridor so not to put too much pressure on them Kiri checked through the lists she had so far, thankful to have so much to do to keep her mind off things. Really lately it had all been to much. Her eyes showed how tired she was even as her face seemed rather contented, albeit falsely. Dark hair was tied back into a low pony tail and despite a dusty day of work her uniform was still spotless.

When Maenad walked into the bridge turbolift and the doors had closed, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. She only wanted to get her quarters straightened out, or to go some place where she could be alone and sleep. The problem was there wasn't an operations chief, nor did she know anyone in ops to page. She opened her eyes again, realising that she didn't even know which deck to order the turbolift.

With a frown, Maenad asked the computer where the chief science officer's office was. It replied with deck four and Maenad ordered the lift there. The doors hissed open and she found the sight of a dimly-lit corridor. She stepped out and looked around, not seeing anyone; she had no idea which way to go. It was almost terrifying at the lack of sound; with the ship's engines powered down, Maenad could hear the piercing ring of the blood circulating in her ears.

Deciding to go left, Maenad started walking knowing that she would find her office eventually. It wasn't long until she ran into somebody; a shortish woman with dark hair tied back into a ponytail was standing some distance from her, reading a PADD. Maenad kept a steady pace until she reached her, seeing that she was a trill wearing the teal of medical and science. "Excuse me," Maenad said as she neared, "Do you know where I can find the chief science officer's office?" She shrugged one shoulder to adjust her bag strap, which wasn't getting any lighter.

Suppressing a startled jump Kiri still looked rather frantic as she turned around, The woman in front of her was taller, had a sharp face against dark hair, not someone she knew from the ship. Surprise turning to confusion she puzzled for a second before asking, "Are you looking for the Department Head, Sir?" Kiri knew full well she didn't really look the part, but she was the one currently occupying the office and no one had told her about any changes. So whoever this was, asking what they did, was looking for her right?

"Not exactly," replied Maenad through narrowed eyes. "I'm the new department head, Maenad Panne." She extended her hand. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

Kiri deflated slightly with a breath. It never going to last, she knew that, yet. She had expected a few more days, at least a warning, time to great ready time to get things done. Her expression stayed down for a second as she reached to take the offered hand. Putting things in order and moving her plans around she gave a false smile, "Ensign Kiri Cho," Pausing before gingerly adding, "Acting Department Head," Glancing down for a moment, "It is nice to meet you sir, I can provide you with a report of department operations and status within the hour, if you wish." Her tone became lighter, faster, trying to settle on how to act.

Maenad saw the sinking of the smaller woman's face. She wanted to say girl's face because of how petite she was. Her voice sounded strong, but Maenad still felt as though she'd just taken something away, as though she'd stomped out an aspiring student's opportunity. "No," Maenad replied quickly, "No, I wouldn't like that at all." She smiled down at her, appreciatively. "I would just like to know where my office is."

"Oh," Kiri stunned herself for a second, it was the first thing she would want while taking over a department. Looking at the pad she gave another smile, "This deck, starboard corridor, compartment seven," Thinking about the stacks of pads and work that neatly littered the desk she pursed her lips before adding, "I can show you, if you want."

"Please," Maenad nodded forward and gestured for the ensign to lead the way.

"One moment," Kiri took a step closer to the door, letting it slide open before disappearing inside for a few seconds. She would have to take their report later, it was better to do it in person. Returning and tugging down on her uniform slightly the smaller woman smiled, "This way," It wasn't a long trip, Kiri couldn't think of anything to say anyway though.

Maenad allowed herself to yawn and clear her eyes while the ensign left her standing in the corridor. She was impressed at her apparent eagerness; she was very young, probably no more than a year out of the academy. It was good to see such enthusiasm. But then again, it could have been simple nervousness. Somehow, though, Maenad doubted that. Something about the young woman denied the possibility of slacking. Not knowing exactly where they were going, she followed a few paces behind Miss Cho.

Being a leader of a group from the front was something Kiri normally did her best to avoid. During her brief tenure she'd tried her best to push people forward rather than have them follow her. Getting people to follow her orders was something she was just starting to learn about, no one had complained, no had really said she'd done a good job either. Reaching the office Kiri came to a stop, looking rather nervous once more, "I have been using the office, I can clean it up in a few minutes."

"Let's see it first," Maenad said quietly, trying her best to sound accommodating. She could tell that Kiri was rather anxious around her; Maenad did have this air of intimidation that followed her at times. She seemed much scarier than she really was, or at least than she thought she was.

Steeling herself Kiri took a step closer and let the door open, moving aside to let Panne go first. The office was spotless, the first thing after the crash landing for Kiri when off duty was to clean it. A stack of pads sat just off from the middle, regimentally straight. Another sitting in the middle, the chair tucked in, no other decorations of any kind. Given time Kiri would have liked a plant or two, but there had been much more pressing concerns. Waiting pensively she listened for the real thoughts the woman had. This could well be someone Kiri would be working under for a long time, making a first impression was important, too important. Everything was a slight, nothing sounded right, Kiri was panicking leading to her being rather stoic.

Maenad walked past Kiri into the office. She was taken aback at how spacious it was; there was a decently sized table with several chairs around it perfect for department meetings, Maenad thought. There was a sizeable desk for her to work at with two chairs in front of it, too. Large displays on the walls gave her all the information that she would ever need. A large couch nestled against the wall beneath the windows, and a glass coffee table stood in front of it. There was a workstation against another wall, too. As for decor, it was a little barren - but that would change. Maenad found herself smiling. She loved it.

"Clean it up?" Maenad asked rhetorically. "It looks fine to me," she laughed, shaking her head. She walked over to the sofa and sat down, dropping her bag on the floor. After a moment, she continued. "So you are the acting science chief?"

"Yes sir," Granted that currently there was almost no science going on, labs without power, damage to systems and equipment. Until repairs were well under way it was just a matter of keeping everyone busy and making ready for next time. Struggling over her words Kiri almost drifted into speaking English, "I wasn't aware of your arrival, sorry sir." If she had then Kiri would have cleared the office entirely, prepared reports and, done something.

Maenad only nodded, crossing her legs. "Come, sit down." She said, looking at the empty spot on the far end of the couch.

Looking uncomfortable for a second Kiri complied, sitting perched on the edge of the sofa with her hands in her lap. The relationship she was expecting was a work related one, not one that involved sitting. She was terrible at relaxing at the best of times, let alone now.

Maenad remained blank, her hands clasped over the knee of her crossed leg. She turned her head to face the anxious-looking ensign and began to speak. "I can see that you've been hard at work, Miss Cho. I appreciate that, even though it probably means little to you right now. I do not know the details of your previous mission, nor do I expect you to reveal them to me. I can only imagine what you and the others have been through, the condition of the ship can attest to that." She paused briefly, looking away with her eyes before bringing them back to Kiri. "I have heard that hardship, that turmoil, brings people close together. I have never been through anything quite so dramatic, I have spent most of my time in the safety of classrooms and lecture halls, so I do not know how true that is." Maenad licked her lips. "The science department sees you as its leader right now. You know the problems, you know the people, and by my judgement of your character up until now, I think you also have the solutions. It would be in everyone's best interest for you to remain in your position as acting department chief until things have settled down." Maenad didn't smile or flinch. What she said rang as though there were no counter-arguments to be made, no discussion to be had, but not disrespectful or self-indulgent. She meant what she said, and she had hoped that it had come out as clearly for Kiri as she had intended.

To Kiri it made perfect sense, that was a little worrying. Outside of science she wasn't used to being right without concession. She did feel that she knew what was going on and for efficiency in that regard she should carry on. As for leadership though, Kiri didn't feel that much of a leader, more of a doer. There were problems and there were solutions, she had to put them together. Did she really know the people that worked under yet? She knew their records, some of their work, their faces. Kiri had only been on the ship ten days, she had only left the academy two weeks ago. This was the one time she had to make an impression, she had to pick one. Closing her eyes Kiri swallowed hard, "I have only known the department for a short while, I am familiar with the problems that need to be solved. As your assistant I will carry out whatever you want of me, including running the department." It was redundant but it needed to be said, didn't it? Accepting and getting what she wanted while clarifying the position of both of them somewhat. Starting to struggle now, "I have only been on the ship a short time, in the last four days I haven't had that much time to become close to the department personnel. Be, before that I was at the academy, while I am capable, my experience is limited." Being honest and clear here would be best, otherwise it would only cause problems.

The chain of command needed to be followed even if there was leeway, "I can act independently but I will submit reports for your review, you also have access to all recorded data and my logs for Project Sienna." It was hard walking the line between trying to be confident and being submissive. Perched as if she would leap up and run at a moments notice.

"Of course," Maenad nodded. Kiri was one step ahead, which impressed her. She made a mental note to see if her logs about this Project Sienna were indeed accessible - the captain had told her the previous mission was classified. But that Kiri was only a few weeks out of the academy surprised the hell out of her. She considered that perhaps she was being too demanding on the young woman, but decided that even if she were it would be a positive learning experience. And, she would be there to help if she needed it. You don't get experience by not performing, Maenad had always thought. "I would like a report on the condition of the department by tomorrow at twelve hundred," she continued. "As detailed and meticulous as possible. And I'll need continuous status reports so I can make recommendations to the captain on our behalf, and so I am current with what's going on. I am going to allow you full-discretion to continue as you were before I'd arrived. I have no doubts that you will, or that you otherwise would not have." Maenad allowed a very slight grin. "Consider it an evaluation of your leadership abilities. And I'll be here to guide you, to listen to your concerns, to help you along. As the assistant chief, you must become comfortable in a leadership role."

Now there was some clarity, Kiri knew where she stood and what was expected. It wasn't that different from before only now there was another person to be aware of. Now knowing the sort of relationship they had Kiri gave a small real smile, "Yes sir, I'll do my best."

There was a moment of silence while Maenad looked her over, trying to see if there was something physical that made her so reserved. There was nothing that she could see; Maenad resisted the urge to incline her head over the back of the couch. She returned her attention to her new assistant. "I would like to have a departmental briefing tomorrow, fifteen hundred. Can you work that into the schedule?"

Remaining completely still Kiri nodded very slightly, "Yes sir, I'll notify the section heads and book the conference room?" While the office was large, it couldn't quite fit the twelve odd members of staff that would need to be present. There wasn't exactly anything else that staff could be doing right now anyway.

Maenad smiled. "Good." That about covered it, she thought. "Do you have any questions for me? Anything at all."

There were a lot, really, Kiri didn't feel that comfortable about asking any of them though. It felt invasive, she wasn't that keen on taking about herself in such a manner. As long as it was practical, about work though, there was an excuse, "If you don't mind, what do you specialise in?"

The question was a lot more complicated than it sounded, but Maenad answered right away. "Archaeology, micro palaeontology, and genetics. Mostly." She stopped for a moment, as if she were resetting. "Archaeology and cultural anthropology, ancient xeno-philosophies in relation to our own, those I find particularly interesting. But, yes, most of my work - my scholarly and published work - is in micropaleontology, evolutionary biology, and genetics," she looked to Kiri. "In which field is your concentration?"

The opposite end of the scale than Kiri, she had been reading up though so it wasn't quite as off as it was last week. Moistening her lips she answered, "Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science," They mostly overlapped and she'd been working on them since she was twelve. Between the two of them it did mean that most of the major fields were covered, that was good.

Maenad liked that; while she was competent in those subjects, astronomy and astronomical sciences being her best of them, they were her shortfalls. It was good to know that she could rely on her assistant chief to cover those bases. "It sounds like we are well-rounded, then." Maenad struggled against yawning; she did not want to give the nervous young ensign the impression that she was boring her, but she was reaching her limit - she needed to sleep.

"Is there anything else you would like to tell me, Miss Cho? Whether it be about yourself, the department, or the ship?" Maenad asked.

Almost all the work related talk was already done for now. Kiri felt the need to make one thing clear though, "Since the crash, all department operations have been suspended, due to damage to systems and lack of power." The details she would go into tomorrow but since that wasn't first thing she felt the need to make it clear.

Nodding, Maenad had figured as much. By the looks of things, most of the ship's power was being used toward repairs. Science ship or not, scientific research was impossible without a functioning ship. "If there is nothing else for now, I will see you at twelve. I look forward to working with you."

Standing up Kiri bowed her head, "I do too, sir," There were still things she could get done before she went to bed, there was also a full status report to start working on. It felt rather odd to be the one leaving the office already but started to do so, stopping just as she reached the door, "Have a nice night, sir." Heading out into the corridor Kiri let out a deep breath after the door closed. At least there was another reason not to go to sleep.

Maenad watched Kiri get up and leave, leaving her alone in the office. She let out a long breath through her nostrils, finally dropping her head over the back of the sofa. When she opened them again, there were stars appearing in sky, through the mauve of dusk. Maenad didn't know Vega's sky, she only knew the constellations, stars, and planets from Earth.

She lifted her legs up to where Kiri had been sitting and pushed her boots off with the toes of each foot. Much better. She flexed her toes in her socks as she undid her hair, flicking the elastic on the floor. Maenad nestled her head into the corner of the sofa, between the arm and the back cushions, and closed her eyes. As she drifted toward sleep, she both thought and worried about Kiri, wondered what tomorrow would bring, and remembered Captain Saalm's offer to stop by her quarters that evening.

[OFF]

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Ensign Kiri Cho
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant (JG) Maenad Panne
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

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