"Analysing The Mathematical Probabilities Of Command"
(Previous Post: "Message From Home")
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Stardate: 60328.1830
The Shillian woman sat at the science station which
would double as the station for the Executive Officer
of the HATHOR. This had not been the first time that
a Chief Science Officer also held the position of
second in command, but since this would be the first
time for the scientist she had wanted to make sure
everything had been perfect.
The station where the Acting Executive Officer/Chief
Science Officer worked at had been the smallest the
Shillian had ever seen in her time as a Starfleet
officer making her wonder as to how she had been
expected to perform all of her basic duties as well as
those associated to her new position. As the Science
Officer onboard the HATHOR it had been her
responsibility to monitor everything outside of the
ship, and as First Officer her duties also included
monitoring everything *inside*. As daunting as the
tasks might have been, that had not been what truly
troubled the Chief Science Officer, being in a
position of command was the hardest part.
"I have to admit that this is an unusual sight," the
Enaran Marine said, his shoulder leaning against the
open frame of the only door to the bridge.
"What is?" The Shillian asked, quickly hiding her
nervousness at the upcoming mission while she summoned
the Cebuella primate back to her, the small monkey
having ventured to the adjacent station to investigate
some of the flashing indicators.
"That you are on the bridge instead of one of the
science labs," the Marine Command Officer said
teasingly while moving closer to the sitting Shillian
who had yet turned to look at the Enaran.
"It is not like I was given that much of a choice,"
the Chief Science Officer replied. "The HATHOR was
not meant to be a research vessel, so everything and
anything to do with science is routed through this one
station," The Shillian woman said hearing the
footsteps of the Enaran draw closer causing her to
turn her chair a little more to one side to insure
that he would not see her face. "What has brought you
onboard the HATHOR, I figured that you would have been
spending the remaining days before out departure with
your men doing whatever it is that you Marines do."
If there had been any doubts that there had been
something bothering the Shillian Woman, the Enaran had
dismissed them following the last words of the Chief
Science Officer who had not at all sounded like the
person he had grown to know and even like. "Nico and
Uxtar wanted to get a peek at their quarters before
heading out for dinner and they asked me to tag
along," the Marine replied quietly bridging the gap
between him and the scientist. A quick glare at the
miniature Enaran primate warned it not to warn its
mistress of his approach, a warning that the Cebuella
monkey had been smart enough to comprehend. "I
thought that maybe you would like to join us," Prav
added suddenly appearing right next to the Shillian
and getting a quick glimpse of her face before she
turned to look the other way.
"Thanks, but no thanks," the Chief Science Officer
said standing from her chair and moving a few steps
away from the work station and the Enaran Marine. "I
think I will stay here and continue my work, you would
be surprise as to how much there is to do even on a
ship as small as the HATHOR, I mean there are still
several systems that need to be calibrated including
the external sensors, I have to review the senior
staff assignments as well as the shift rotations, not
because I want to but because it is the duty of the
Executive Officer to do so. After that I think that I
will check out the holodeck and see if there are any
programs already installed in the computer that might
prove to be useful to us during the mission, there
might not be any laboratories onboard but maybe I
could create those that I might need using the
holo-grid. I know that such a lab would be very
limited but it would still be better than what I have
to work with up here on the Bridge."
The troubled voice of the scientist along with the way
she had done everything to avoid looking at him had
convinced the Enaran Marine that there was something
terribly wrong with the Shillian woman and he intended
on figuring out what that was. Slowly he reached for
her shoulders, insuring that she would not move any
further by applying a gentle yet firm grip before ever
so carefully turning the woman towards him.
When there eyes met the Enaran saw fear in the eyes of
the Shillian triggering within him an instinctual
protective response which made him ready to challenge
and vanquish whatever had been the cause of this.
"What is it?" Pravat asked in a tender caring voice,
those three words saying so much more to the scientist
than any other words could have by the way they had
been spoken.
"How do you do it?" The Chief Science Officer asked
almost breaking out in tears, "I mean how do you take
control of people knowing that you may be called upon
at any time to make a decision which could place their
lives in danger. I know that this is going to be a
simple mission and that we will not have to face any
such situation, but the more I read and learn about
what it means to be the First Officer, the more I am
sure that I am not cut out for that position. As a
scientist I research possibilities and offer
probabilities to others, but I never have to make the
final decision and if I distinguish myself during this
mission as an Executive Officer Captain Rikar and
Lieutenant Commander Serenna might believe that I can
do this job and sooner or later place me in a
situation where I *will* have to make such a decision,
and I do not think that I could. If I do not perform
to my normal standards they might reconsider my
placement as Chief Science Officer onboard the ANUBIS
and assign me to another post away from the position
and people that I love and cherish."
Before the Enaran could offer any sort of reply to the
warp-speed confession of the Chief Science Officer,
the Shillian woman had reached out and taken a hold of
the man, wrapping her arms around him causing him to
reciprocate in a protective embrace.
"You are where you are because you have the strength
of character to make those difficult decisions and to
live with their consequences," the Shillian scientist
continued, never giving the Enaran the chance to say a
single word. "That is why you were assigned to the
ANUBIS and to the Marines, and although we may not
show it as much as we should, that makes you an
indispensable part of the crew. Without you, your
courage and the rest of your men, I am sure that none
of us would be here right now, and without you the
burden of carrying the weight of the decisions that
had to be made would be on someone else. I cannot
even begin to imagine how difficult this is for you
and I am sure that Captain Rikar and Lieutenant
Commander Serenna greatly appreciate everything that
you are doing, for them and the rest of the crew of
the ANUBIS. They need your strength and dedication,
as I need them, now more than ever if I am to make it
through this mission as First Officer without breaking
down and giving Ensign Mei more than she would likely
care to have to deal with."
The Enaran gently took hold of the face of the
Shillian woman, allowing for their eyes to meet
through the mist of tears that covered the orbs of the
Chief Science Officer. "I will help you as much as I
can," the Marine said knowing that those words and the
task that he had been given by the Acting Commanding
Officer had been in direct conflict. How could he
help Maya and truly test the rest of the senior staff
all at the same time? "First rule is to know when to
break away from it all and give yourself time to be
you," the Enaran said with a warm smile, "and right
now is such a time."
Returning the smile of the Marine the Shillian nodded
before following the man off the bridge making certain
that the miniature monkey had not been left behind to
guard the bridge on its own.
---
And
Acting Executive Officer
"To see the world in a grain of sand, 2005 post #493
Setting: USS HATHOR, Bridge
Jessica Solarik { maya_992003@yahoo.com }
Lieutenant Commander Maya
Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS
USS HATHOR
and a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."
- William Blake (British, 1757-1827)
