Meeting Finally

Posted on 17 Dec 2012 @ 5:52am by Captain Jonathan Holliday

1,436 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo: XO's Office
Timeline: MD14 0846 Hours

ON:

Liyar changed into the Starfleet Diplomatic Detachment uniform given to all detachment personnel be they Starfleet or not. The contrast between the brightly colored Starfleet uniform and the muted tones of the V'Shar was significant. He supposed Starfleet wanted their diplomats to stick out. He grasped a PADD off of his desk. Liyar then made his way down to Holliday's office. He hadn't met with the man yet, but just received a message to come down and an apology for being caught up in work and vacation time. Once there, he waited for entry after he hit the chime.

John's office had finally returned to it's usual tidy self. Having managed to battle his way through the armada of reports outstanding after his own personal shore leave, the XO silently replaced the last now-unused PADD back into the replicator for recycling, smirking to himself as the device was disassembled and returned to the ship's energy reserves.

Turning around, Holliday brushed his hands against one another before sitting down on the small sofa in the corner of his office to relax before heading towards Engineering to check up on the repair work. That plan however, was quickly interrupted by the door chime.

"Come!" He beckoned.

The doors opened and Liyar walked through. "Commander," the severe Vulcan greeted in a sonorous, almost terse voice. Though one could never tell with a Vulcan. Evidence of his lack of time among humans was visible in his untrained accent. Beyond that, he had the presence of someone dignified, accustomed to bearing. "I am Liyar. Reporting as ordered."

Standing up from the sofa, John straightened his uniform tunic and took a moment to take in the appearance of the man in front of him. It had been a while since Holliday had served with a Vulcan and he was well aware of their somewhat unflappable approach to virtually everything. After a brief pause to clear his throat, John replied.

"Ahh, Mr. Liyar. I assume you received my message? Apologies that I haven't had time to meet with you before now... I've been.... busy."

"Affirmative." Liyar's confirmation was monosyllabic and curt. He stood, then, uncertain why this protocol was necessary. He had already reported to the captain, and to his direct superior. Both procedures he found unnecessary, but which Starfleet did with bizarre emphasis on interpersonal interaction. He still did not understand this. After his many days on board the Galileo, most of this interaction confused him more than ever rather than illuminated anything. Liyar watched him, dark eyes tracking the commander around the room, taking in his stature and mannerisms with the calculating precision of a hawk.

The shortness of the Vulcan's reply was a little unnerving to the Commander who was much more used to new crew members at least conversing with him upon their arrival into his office.

"So er... Mr. Liyar, I assume you are settled in well onto Galileo now? No issues that you need to bring to my attention?"

Liyar gave him a blink. "I am settled," he answered, folding his hands in front of him, holding them at his waist. His empty, blank stare didn't waver any. He wondered why he could feel nervousness coming from the ship's executive officer. "Did you require something of me?" the Vulcan asked coldly.

"Nothing in particular Lieutenant, I just like to have an idea of who exactly it is that are aboard the Galileo. Get a feel for their personalities, skills, abilities, I'm sure you must have something similar back on Vulcan?"

Liyar graced him with an arched eyebrow, that somehow, some way, managed to look haughty. "Negative, Commander. We do not."

John was again a little bemused to see a culture that didn't take any value in finding out the skills and capabilities of each of it's members on a personal level. For the XO, he simply could not imagine being aboard a vessel where he didn't know exactly what his crew were capable of at any one time.

"Hmm... an.. interesting system. Isn't it logical to understand the people you work alongside in order to facilitate a more efficient operation of whatever task you are undertaking?"

"You labor under the assumption that understanding cannot be achieved," Liyar declared, (because he doesn't just speak! Oh no, he declares and pronounces and sets forth and all sorts of other dignified things!) "by any other means than to get a feel for it. By definition, your summary of this practice excludes the possibility of rational analysis. Vulcans do not operate by getting a feel for one another. Understanding is obtained through exposure and extrapolation." He didn't say Vulcans know Vulcans because as he'd come to learn on board this ship, Terrans were more psi-null than his boots. "We are more than capable of logical deduction. For instance, you appear to have cultivated a talent in the skill of small talk, which does not appeal to my own abilities." Or sensibilities, he thought, but did not say. "Do you have a specific request of me?" Liyar asked, once again.

It seemed that, as always, a Vulcan had managed to find a way to insult their superior officer without actually breaking a single regulation other than being a little annoying. Sighing, the XO sat back in his chair, resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to get anything out of this meeting. It would have been easier for him to simply read the Lieutenant's personnel file on the main database.

"Nothing specific Lieutenant - I just wanted to speak with you face to face rather than just reading your file. If I'm holding you up from anything, then feel free to leave. This is a courtesy call, not an order."

The Vulcan inclined his head deeply. "As you say, Commander." And because, unfortunately Vulcans did not lie, he simply stood there, since he really didn't have anything better to do than have what amounted to a staring contest with the officer in front of him, who seemed to want something, but refused to identify what exactly that was. "I confess I am uncertain as to the protocol involved in this..." he paused for a moment, and then repeated as if it were foreign, "courtesy call."

"Just think of it as providing the necessary data for a non-telepathic First Officer to understand the capabilities of his officers in order to maximise shipboard efficiency. Does this help... bridge the gap a little?"

John was starting to feel a little foolish having to explain his reasoning in such a simplistic fashion, but if it was going to help him convey an idea that was generally alien to the person on the receiving end, then it was probably worth the effort in the long run.

Liyar blinked. "Your explanation is sufficient. Nevertheless, it is unfamiliar to me. My capabilities are thoroughly outlined in my personnel file, therefore you should be aware of them." It sounded just as bitchy as earlier, but he inhaled a little and tried again. It really wasn't his intention to alienate anyone, and he could feel the mixed confusion and aggravation emanating from Holliday. He attempted to... lower? (he still isn't sure how they emphasize things) his tone (what did Crewman Athlen say... make it less sharp?) - whatever that meant. His next words were quieter, if not less haughty. (These people and their tones!) "I regret that I am unable to provide you with any verbal personal qualia, as I cannot ascertain its relevance. In the V'Shar, we simply know one another. I do not understand what constitutes knowing for a psi-null species. Perhaps you will find what you are looking for the more that we interact."

"Possibly Mr. Liyar - give it time...I'm sure we'll come to find a..mutually beneficial interaction level."

It was at about this moment that John surrendered to the fact that this meet and greet simply wasn't going to turn out as well as he had hoped, or indeed on par with the ones he had held with other members of the crew when they had first reported onboard Galileo at various times.

"Well, I don't want to hold you from your work. Dismissed Lieutenant."

OFF:

Cmdr Jonathan Holliday
Executive Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant (JG) Liyar
Diplomatic Officer, VDF/SDD
USS Galileo

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