No Doubts

Posted on 23 Aug 2024 @ 7:11pm by Commander Morgan Tarin & Lieutenant JG Saelihn Valenis

2,671 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Episode 20 - Reconstruction
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 2, Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 02, 1942 hrs

[ON]

"Lieutenant Valenis, report to the ready room." The words spoken over the commbadge relay were unmistakably from Commander Morgan Tarin whose dry tonality and inflection were recognizable to anyone who'd served with her.

Today had born fruit for Galileo thus far. The influx of new crew members created a form of controlled chaos within the small Nova-class while each one was processed, housed and reported to their new department head. And the administrative paperwork was certainly overwhelming, but when was it not for Tarin? Commanding this starship was her duty and responsibility, and such important yet mundane evolutions were part of the deal. A necessary sacrifice for more enjoyable times...such as her daily PT sessions.

The present moment was unfortunately not lending to physical exercise aside from that which her hands and fingers gained by manipulating many PADDs in this choreographed crew restructuring. Already Tarin had overseen two position promotions within the last hour, and several more remained.

It always startled Saelihn somewhat when a comm call came in suddenly. A demand to appear before the Elder of Wisdom (Head Teacher/Principal) always gave her little butterflies. "I'm on my way captain." she replied and began to make her way to the ready room.

In the back of her mind she was thinking about the conversation they'd have in the conference room a while back. Saelihn hoped this was not her getting transferred off the Galileo-A for being a temporal pest. Soon though as the turbolift came to a halt she left it with no hesitation and approached the ready room doors and pressed the chime confidently. If she was going to be cast to the wind then she'd retain some dignity as she was swept off her feet.

"Enter," the small door hissed open and Tarin looked up from her desk while slowly placing the large PADD in her hand down into her lap. "Lieutenant," she curtly acknowledged before reaching out and gesturing to one of the two vacant chairs in front of her desk. "Have a seat. It's been a busy day in your department. Did you hear the news?"

Entering the room, her head held higher, she approached the desk, "Thank you, captain." she said taking one of the unusually comfortable looking chair.

Sitting down she nodded in response to the captain's question. "Yes, bit of a shock that both Lieutenants Rice and Ghemora have decided to leave the ship." It was a small ship and news travelled fast. In truth she wasn't all too surprised given the feelings and vibrations she had and saw surrounding the two.

"'Decided' is an eloquent way of describing their transfer orders. As if we truly have the agency out here to prioritize personal needs over operational ones," replied Tarin with a subtle hint of amusement in her hazel eyes. "But yes. They've both been reassigned to different commands effective immediately. I personally saw Rice off several hours ago and Ghemora's already on board a shuttlecraft in transit to her new destination. It's...not ideal to lose two members of the security department with barely any advanced notice. Especially an understaffed department."

"The universe works in mysterious ways, ma'am." Saelihn replied. She wanted to say that she felt this was inevitable. That the conversation they'd had days ago about them 'not fitting' had came to fruition with their almost sudden departure. However, she didn't do that and she was never one bring such things up. "But I agree their departure has left us a little shorthanded. Until we get a few replacements in we'll be stretched but I know we can cover all the areas we need to and keep the department seamless."

"'Captain'; call me captain, Mister Valenis. I'm not your boyfriend or girlfriend's mother," corrected Tarin while reaching down to her lap and retrieving the large PADD she'd temporarily set there. She handed it across the table to the junior lieutenant for her review. "Thankfully, our replacements have already arrived. Petty Officers Zh'zynon, Ellison and Wentz beamed aboard several hours ago. Along with yourself, Ensign Turell and Petty Officer Octavio, the security department is fully staffed. For once."

"And I thank the Gods for that captain." Saelihn smiled. That would make for a really awkward posting on this lovely ship. Taking the PADD she browsed the files of the officers and nodded with approval. "They'll fit in nicely." she offered the PADD back. "But given they are all enlisted and I am now ranking officer, and you also saying we are fully staffed, am I to presume you are promoting me to security chief?" she asked.

The question prompted Tarin to raise her eyebrows with interest then lean back in her chair. Both of her hands came together at the center of her chest and her fingers tented while she studied the youthful El-Aurian's prominent cheekbones and soft green eyes. "There's an old Human proverb about presumptions that I trust you're familiar with," she lightly chided before conceding to the true reason for this meeting which the security officer had deduced. "You and Ensign Turell are the only two commissioned officers within the department which means my options are to either promote Turell to J-G and assign her this responsibility...or elevate you to this new role. Between you both, you're the only one who's served as DSEC before, aboard your prior assignment on USS Io."

Tarin then crossed her long legs beneath the desk and continued, "Nothing is given aboard this ship; everything is earned. You might be senior-most but that's not good enough. Tell me why I should select you, setting seniority aside. What makes you a better candidate than Turell?"

Saelihn didn't know this proverb about presumptions and it was somewhat ironic that most Human's expected those of other species to know a lot about them and their culture. Being the very thing that Saelihn was being now. She had been on Earth for the Academy, some further training etc, but hadn't spent much time there, and only interacted with with Human's on the ships she had served on so far. They didn't tend to talk proverbs. She smiled internally as she thought that.

"Firstly Amanda is an amazing officer, she'd do well in the position if you gave it to her. I don't know her well personally but professionally she always gives it 100% and I'm proud to work with her." Saelihn began. "However, if we are putting seniority and rank aside there are few differences. I can only speak for my life experience of 70 years and in that I have became so much more confident in how to engage with other species across the quadrant. Travelling with my father on his 'ambassadorial' duties has opened my eyes and I feel more well rounded as a person. We've already spoken briefly about my species temporal sense, and I'm engaging with Lieutenant Carlisle as you requested about that." she paused as she didn't want to drone on. "My species have a pheromone release that affects most species, opening them up to being more truthful and wanting to tell me their secrets. This can be useful in interrogations or interviews of suspects and other alike. I'm hard-working, I care about my people and will always protect them, even if that means taking heat from you or the XO. They are my family, and family protects each other. That is what I've always believed."

The captain's indifferent and neutral facial expression could be unnerving at times. Though Valenis didn't necessarily experience such a feeling, Tarin remained devoid of emotion after the security officer spoke. A long silence ensued before she finally replied, "Family?" Her head slightly tilted to the side. "Where I come from, families sometimes despise a portion or two of their unit. But I assume that's not what you meant. What I mean is I find that to be a curious word because each race has its own definition and each can drastically vary. Elaborate...and tell me where your duty lies. To this ship and its crew, like you just proclaimed? To myself and the Triad as commanders of this vessel? Or to the mission and the Prime Directive?" she tested.

"Tell me what you see out there...in the stars." Rang in Saelihn's ears as the Human feeling of deja vu seemed to wash over her. The voice was Tarin's but she hadn't said it right now... a brief pause before she shook her head and thought of what the captain had truly asked her.

"My people have a strong connection with the words family, and home." Saelihn began. "As our families can grow to exponential sizes we tend to think of a family as a large group as opposed to a smaller unit. I know the security department here is small but I still care and will defend those in my team like I would my own sibling. As to the despising of certain members, as head of the family unit, to keep using that analogy, your duty is still to protect and care for them. I don't particularly like one of my uncles but I'd still keep him safe if I needed to." Saelihn once again paused. She felt she was monologuing a lot.

"Lieutenant, one final question: where does your allegiance to duty lie? Is it to me, the captain? To the ship and its crew? Or to the mission?" Another whisper that caused Saelihn to shift her head's position as if to hear it more clearly. Again it was Tarin's voice, a similar question to one she had just asked right now.

"My duty is to my ship and crew. That includes any commanding officer and those beneath them. You don't join security if you don't feel a need to protect people, keep them safe. My mission is your mission, its our mission and I'd see it through. The Prime Directive is something I struggle with... if one of my team is in danger, one of the crew, I would do my upmost to save them at the risk of breaking the Prime Directive. Their lives matter, as they are someone's family too, and that's something I'd risk my own life to protect." she brought it back full circle back to what she'd started with.

Again Saelihn cocked her head back as these words rang through, "I am loyal to you, this ship and its crew. There is no distinction in that, no separation. I would protect any of you with my life not because it is expected of me, but because its what I believe to be right and the need for me to be me. I may not be tall, full of big muscles or look the most intimidating but I'll still take anyone down to threatens my people."

How strange...

Tarin wasn't an officer who was easily impressed and it often took years of rapport between she and her Starfleet colleagues to build up a strong semblance of trust and respect. It was one of her most private and sometimes-glaring flaws, yet when the El-Aurian answered the assessment with nuance and finesse, she couldn't help but slowly nod with approval at the sentiments expressed. "Well spoken. I seems we share more in common than I thought." A rare compliment? Perhaps. She opened her mouth to continue speaking just as her consciousness snapped to a different vision within the same room.

~~

"You speak with confidence and conviction," Tarin replied. "That's what I need from all of my officers and department heads. You're correct, of course, that blind loyalty is a detriment to us all. And I appreciate your candor. But make no mistake, lieutenant...if I give an order? I expect it to be carried out to its full extent regardless of your personal opinion or perceptions of our mission. If you ever have any doubts about my orders, my ready room is always available for discussion. But the chain of command must be adhered to at all times."

[...] "Of course captain." [...]

A single curt nod came from the red-collared commander. "Very well. Carry on, then," she dismissed.

~~

A series of blinks was followed by a brief exhalation after Tarin's perspective snapped back to the present reality. She instinctively reached up to rub her eyelids with her thumb and index finger before shaking her head with uncertainly. "I...have the feeling we've had this conversation before," she revealed with a frown. "How or when? I don't know." Hallucinations were currently affecting the entire crew but this one felt more visceral than cerebral. Different to the others she'd thus far experienced.

Saelihn nodded. "I have that feeling too captain. It would appear we are suffering from the same hallucination type effects of whatever has happened. Temporal echoes are not uncommon shortly after a temporal event but they should eventually fade." she half shrugged not knowing what else to say. "Some are more 'vivid' than others but the body is trying to tell you something your mind cannot quite understand, at least not yet."

Frustration started to build again at the renewed talk of temporal mechanics. Whether an echo from the past or future, none of it still rose to the level of definitive proof involving Galileo and her crew. Not to Tarin's skeptical cerebration. "I'll keep that under consideration," she replied in a rare diplomatic tone. "But let's digress. I agree with your assessment and think you're the best qualified person for this job. We wouldn't be having this conversation if you weren't. It's yours if you want it - truly want it, along with all the responsibilities entailed. It won't be an easy posting, however. I'll ask a lot from you and your department with little margin for error. If you have any doubts, then I assure you this isn't the right time to take this next step in your career. Not here aboard this ship."

"I have no doubts captain. None at all." Saelihn replied confidently. She could feel Tarin's frustration at the talk of all things time related and decided not to push that particular knife in any further. "I would consider it an honour to be your security chief and know that I will give my best to you and this ship."

Tarin's hands descended to her lap where she thumbed her opposing fingernails before confirming her final decision. "Very well. Your best is expected every day...anything else is unacceptable." A warning? A prerogative. Galileo's tall commanding officer stood from her chair then extended an arm and a hand across the desk for the new CSEC to shake. "Congratulations, Lieutenant Valenis. Join me at 0300 tomorrow morning in Holodeck 1 for a quick run followed by your advancement ceremony. Take care of the rest of your department's business tonight and get a couple hours rest. Tomorrow's going to be a long day. Any questions?"

"Not at the moment captain." Saelihn replied shaking her head as she shook the captain's hand. She always found it interesting the Human need to touch so much. Even in conversations there would be a lot of tactile touching, bumping, and so on. It didn't surprise her that they used their hands for many forms of things, a greeting, a goodbye, celebrating/congratulating, all manner of reasons.

"You know where to find me when they inevitably surface. Don't be hesitant to ask for help if you're ever unsure. Dismissed," were Tarin's final words to the new chief of security.

"I know when to ask to help ma-- eh captain. Thank you." Saelihn replied with a quick snap to as she acknowledged her dismissal. Leaving the room she felt a sense of what Human's call deja vu once again but confident that the decision made was the right one.

[OFF]

--

CMDR Morgan Tarin
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo-A

Lieutenant JG Saelihn Valenis
Chief Security Officer
USS Galileo-A

RSS Feed