Another Visitor (Part 2)

Posted on 23 Dec 2012 @ 10:00am by Lieutenant Kiri Cho & Chief Warrant Officer 4 Cyrus Kiwosk

961 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, Messhall
Timeline: MD7 1245

[Continued]

Kiri managed another smile, it was good to have someone else she could share a meal with. She still didn't know if she liked him or not yet, at least she didn't dislike him. She still had a lot of her small meal left, "I will do so, thank you." Giving a small tired smile,it was nice he came to find her.

"I hope so. Honestly, getting out of the workplace is good every once and a while, you should try it some time." He smiled. "I'm normally on Beta shifts, if you need anything when I'm off, just buzz. I'm good had lifting things." He chuckled. He finished the sandwich in a single bite and washed it down with coffee before placing the tray in the Disposal.

Kiri watched, still not even halfway through her own much smaller meal. Everyone always finished long before she did, she didn't think that she ate slow. They all talked while they ate though, she felt that was rude to do. Pouting very slightly she answered, "I will, soon." When she didn't know but there were lots of things she had to do right now, the sensors weren't yet finished.

Cyrus sat back down and leaned in his chair. "Don't mind me, just cleaning up." He sighed. "If I don't get rid of the tray I'll feel like I have to keep eating."

"Oh," Kiri was left to wonder why he was staying, the meal was over. Did that mean he was staying just because he wanted to talk to her? It wouldn't have been rude to leave, would it? Thinking about it she forgot to eat for several seconds before flinching when she remembered. Placing a whole strawberry Mochi in her mouth she realised now she couldn't talk. Chewing quite hard she finally asked, "Do you like the people in your department?" Now she was really clutching at straws to talk about.

Cyrus chuckled. "They're good people, I've worked with worse, though in the SFMC that isn't a long stretch. " He smiled. "I didn't want to be rude Kiri, I noticed I had you talking so much that you hardly touched your meal." He yawned, waiting for the effects of the coffee to wake him up. "Besides, I know I don't really like eating alone." He rubbed the back of his neck before continuing. "So there must be a tale behind your rapid promotion!" He said. "How does someone go from Ensign to Lieutenant Junior Grade in less than a year?" He knew he had no room to talk considering his own rapid promotions, but he wanted to hear the story. Kiri was shy, but seemed friendly enough.

Kiri was surprised that he noticed, no one else seemed to. Glad that he liked his department she smiled but he didn't say anything about individuals, it might be impolite to ask. As for the story, was there one? It wouldn't take long, "Three weeks, I graduated the Academy three weeks ago." It sure felt a lot longer than that, "I was second in my science classes and in the top five percent for the others. A few days after I arrived Lieutenant Barel was Chief Science Officer and as I was one of two other commissioned officers in the department she chose me to be her assistant. When she became," What was the right way to say it, "Unable to carry out her duties, I became acting department head until Lieutenant Panne arrived."

Kiwosk was impressed, very few people could make the sudden jump from simple ensign to the acting head of a department. "Not too shabby ma'am." He drawled. "You must be proud to have jumped so fast so soon."

"Yes," But she didn't show it. It hadn't really sunk in that much and it didn't make that much of a difference, her job title came first, other than the fact she had to call less people sir. Overall though it didn't feel like she had earned it, yes she had worked on Sienna and done her best to keep the sensors online, even fought in a battle. Leading a department through that time, did it really make her worth that much more? "I have a lot more work to do to really earn it."

"Don't we all. " Cyrus mumbled off handedly. His own bump to CWO had come at quite the prejudice. People often assumed he had been the son of some important admiral or had been granted special permissions. It was a constant struggle to prove that he had earned his Stripes. " Well, I think that you are doing a fine job so far. Once you come into your own, you will really be a force to be reckoned with. " He smiled genuinely, before looking at the time set on the mess hall. "I have to get going Kiri, my break is almost over. Sorry I have to ditch you with your lunch still unfinished. " He frowned realising he had kept her again from her meal with his talking.

Saying goodbye for a second time Kiri nodded, "Thank you, I don't mind." A meek and slightly forced smile spread thinly across her face for a few seconds before dropping, "I look forward to next time." She really needed to find more things to talk about, he wouldn't be interested in talking about Romluan history would he?

As Cyrus left he chuckled to himself. Kiri was...different, but it was her shyness that made her so awkward. Something to think about . Kiwosk thought to himself as he made the long trek back to the Security Department.


[OFF]
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CWO Kiwosk
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant (JG) Kiri Cho
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

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