"Clear As Mud"
Previous Post: "Discussion"
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Stardate: 60298.1540
Setting: USS ANUBIS, CO's Ready Room
Having dismissed the CEO and CSciO to their tasks, Capt. Simmons returned to his office followed by the Romulan/Terran hybrid that remained in the open doorway. "Sir, could I have a word with you?"
Not having expected to see his COO standing there, the CO was a little startled by the presence of the Romulan/Terran hybrid but did not let it show. After having made it around his desk, the captain sat down and motioned the waiting woman to enter, waiting for the door to close behind her to ask, "What's on your mind Serenna?"
Looking a little nervous, the Romulan/Terran hybrid stood at attention before her CO, her eyes looking at a single spot on the wall behind the man. "Request permission to speak freely sir?"
Dropping his head into his hands the CO sighed having hoped that this little meeting would have been something other than pertaining to some official matter, but knowing his COO as he did the captain had not really expected anything else. "Guess this can't wait until *after* this mission."
Not having moved at all since she had made her first request, the Romulan/Terran hybrid replied while still looking at the spot on the wall behind the CO. "It would be hard to since it has to do with the time frame you have given to Lt. Dawson and Lt. Maya."
Leaning back into his chair, the CO actually grinned as he looked at the rigid woman standing on the other side of his desk. "Figures you would have been the one to notice that, my bet was between you and Enaii and I am glad to see that even she can be surpassed by others at times. Permission granted."
Looking puzzled by the reply given by her CO, the Romulan/Terran hybrid actually lowered her eyes down to the sitting man for a fraction of a second before returning them to that spec she had found on the wall. "I was curious as to the reason why you gave Lt. Seth and myself only two minutes to come up with a plan to attack and board the ships and two hours to Lt. Dawson and Lt. Maya to complete their research which should be an integral part of our assault on the Jem'Hadar's base of operations."
Grinning like a Cheshire cat the CO took a moment to relax, something that he had not done since they had arrived at TOLAR IV. "Let me give you a crash course of commanding this particular crew. People such as Lt. Seth, Lt. Cmdr. Enaii and yourself respond exceptionally well to pressure and deadline because that is the nature of your work and training. Giving any of you more time than required to do any job would just not make any sense. Lt. Dawson and Lt. Maya on the other hand respond to rushed deadlines in an entirely different manner. I am not saying that they are unable to perform under extreme duress, I am simply pointing out that each officer responds to a specific situation in different ways."
Relaxing her posture ever so slightly, the COO lowered her eyes down to the sitting CO once again, the expression of puzzlement having vanished from her features. "You didn't want either one of them to blow up in your face by giving them minutes instead of hours."
Standing from his chair and repositioning his uniform the CO confirmed in parts what the Romulan/Terran hybrid had just said. "Maya 'exploding' I could handle but no one would have benefited from her becoming nervous about trying to do all that she should do in so little time. Since we have arrived here everyone has been under a crushing amount of pressure to perform, and as their CO it is my job to see that the weight doesn't become too much for anyone to handle."
Looking straight ahead to the now standing CO, the Romulan/Terran hybrid gave Capt. Simmons a look of suspicion that she quickly placed into words only seconds later. "You didn't want David to add in a few fist-shaped decorations to the bridge?"
Walking around his desk to stand next to his COO, Capt. Simmons ended the conversation, not because he was not enjoying this little unscheduled look into the dynamics of his crew, but because time was of the essence. "David may not like the ANUBIS, but I am starting to like her and the way she looks. Maybe after all this is over I might actually start feeling at home while onboard, but first we have to get through this."
Snapping to full attention, the Romulan/Terran hybrid once again stared at the spot on the wall. "Aye aye Sir, Lt. Seth and I will have the plans for the assault ready as per your request."
Leading the Romulan/Terran hybrid towards the exit to the Ready Room, the CO smiled. "I know you will, now I have to find a way to get David and Maya to get their part done a little faster without my having to add to their stress."
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Stardate: 10298.1542
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Standing next to the Sec/Tac officer andFCO, the Romulan/Terran hybrid watched Rawyvin put the final touches on the plan of attack that was meant to disable the Hirogen ship. Because of the heavy armor of the Venatic-Class ship, the plan required a great deal of precision firing that Lt. Seth had carefully plotted to the surprise of the Romulan/Terran hybrid. Although she now help the position and responsibilities of COO, the majority of her experience still rested in tactical. Pointing at an image of the Hirogen ship displayed on his console, the Sec/Tac officer explained one particular aspect of the plan. "The armor is designed to deflect the majority of incoming fire away from the sensitive areas making disabling the ship very difficult but if we can manage to get the ship in this exact position we should be able to bypass the plating and knock out their primary power source."
Looking confident, the Oriental pilot nodded his understanding of the part of the plan that dealt with his directly. To accomplish what Lt. Seth had suggested would require some fancy flying but it looked like Tam was ready to meet the challenge, "Always wanted to see if this class of ships could pull something like this."
Realizing that this was where her new responsibilities would come into play, the COO made a quick list of what she would have to do to insure that the ANUBIS would not come apart at the seams or its crew made to bounce madly off the walls because the inertial dampeners would not be able to keep up with the change of vectors suggested by the Sec/Tac officer. "I better speak to David and see if he can divert a little more power to the inertial dampeners before we get started, I just hope that Capt. Simmons has had the chance to speak to him about the time frame we are going to be working with.
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Serena Switt {serena1141@yahoo.com.au}
Lieutenant Serenna
Chief of Operations / Second Officer
USS ANUBIS
