From: Live Long and Prosper 
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 16:28:37 -0500 (EST)
Subject: USS CHESAPEAKE: Meeting with th'Tellan

SD 90418.2058
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Conference Room 3
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MD 6.1400
<>
	"I think that everything should be pretty routine at this moment.
But let's go over what we need to do.  Gann, Murray, your main duty will
be to study the technology of the planet, the minerals, and the life
forms.  The miners and the Correlians could be after anything, so be
thorough.  For the biology, you may want to consult with Ledoux."
<>
	Anne gathered her thoughts.  Technology of the planet could be 
studied by the Computer Science and the Mathematics and Logic divisions.  
The minerals could be studied by the Physical Sciences, the biology by 
(obviously) the Biological Sciences.  Good, she thought to herself.  Keep 
every division working and happy.
<>
	"Anyway, that's the basic roles.  For now, it's just the usual.
Get the departments ready, think about what away teams we need, that sort
of thing.  Does anyone else have something to add?"
<>
	"If I may, sir," said Anne, "I would like to request some 
sociological information concerning the Corellians; any suggestions you 
might have on locating such information would be greatly appreciated."
	That was the one problem with being so specialized, as Anne knew 
all too well.  You learn how to deal with atoms and cells and planets, 
and you totally miss out on learning how to run a simple search in the 
social sciences.
	The Second Officer said nothing, but he did glance at her rather 
sharply.  Anne couldn't decipher his thoughts... and she had a feeling 
that she didn't altogether want to know, in any case.
	"I think that some knowledge concerning recent sociological 
trends, combined with knowledge concerning recent scientific trends, may 
prove useful," she said by way of explanation.  "In any case, it's an 
area that I'd like to research... in addition to my other duties, of course."
<>
(Masako, Lynnaea, Michael:  Add anything you want here.)
	th'Tellan looked around the room a final time.  "I guess that's
everything.  You're dismissed.    Oh, Murray, could I see you for
a moment?"
	Murray paused, looking unsure.  "Uh, yes.  Of course."  She sat
back down, waiting for the other two to leave.  "Er, what would you like
to talk about?"
	th'Tellan shrugged.  "Well, I had hoped to talk about the latest
golf tournament.  On the other hand, I don't want to be brought up with
charges of attempted murder via boredom."
	th'Tellan waited for Murray to respond, but she just sat there,
squirming a little.  "Look, Murray, I'm going to have to level with you.
I called you in because it looks like you've been having some problems."
	Murray shot him a look of pain.  "It's a good thing you're a
commander.  With tact like that, you'd make a lousy psychologist."
	"Oh, I don't know.  I think with my tact, I can make semi - lousy.
Look, I've never minced words, and I'm not going to start now.  So if
anything I say hurts, I'll understand.  However, I wanted you to know that
I'm concerned about what's been going on, and I'd like to help in any way
I can."
	"Thank you, sir."  Intellectually, Murray knew th'Tellan was
trying to be nice.  But she couldn't help thinking that, once again,
th'Tellan was about to yell at her for her actions.  She kept her voice
calm, hiding as much emotion as she could.  "Is there anything else?"
	th'Tellan sighed.  "Actually, there is.  I've heard that you do a
good job of listening to other people's problems, so I was wondering if
you would listen to mine.    A lot of the time, I feel like I'm
out of my element.  I left science to take on an adminitration role.  And
I've had some problems making the transition, getting things set up,
dealing with seemingly overbearing bosses.  Sometimes, I even think that I
made a mistake; that maybe this ship would be better off if I wasn't
posted in this position.    Oh, but listen to me talk.  I must be
the only person in the Universe to feel like this."
	Murray went through a wide variety of emotions, most of which
would have been a reaction to th'Tellan telling her about his flying
ability.  "You didn't bring this up just so I could console you," she
accused.  "You know about the problems I've been having, and you're just
using a basic psychological trick...."
	"You're right, I didn't just tell you this on the spur of the
moment.  But I didn't make it up either.    I guess I just wanted
you to know that other people besides you have doubts.  For some reason, I
had the ridiculous thought that it would help."
	"Well, it does, I guess.    I've got to admit, you didn't
strike me as the kind of person who has doubts.    I guess
I've just been....  I mean my department's been....  th'Tellan, I don't
suppose that you would have any advice for how I should run my department.
I mean...."
	"No, I don't.  I've done my time, now it's your turn.  
You've got a problem that I didn't; your officers aren't as....  No, don't
get upset about it.  I'm not going to claim that you screwed up an entire
department in 15 minutes.  I'm just pointing out that this is an aspect
that I didn't deal with.  I mean, you've worked with Sereh.  She's pretty
typical of the department I used to work for."
	Murray nodded, soaking this in.  "th'Tellan, I...."  She paused,
unsure what to say next.  Not even sure what she was thinking or feeling.
<>
	Finally, after what seemed like an embarrassingly long period of 
time, Anne found something to say.
	"You must have been proud of your department, sir," she said, "to 
have such competent crew." She thought back to Sereh, that efficient 
Vulcan.  She put almost everyone in her Science Department to shame.  To 
have crew like that... Yes, that must have been very nice indeed.  "If 
you don't mind my asking, sir..." she paused, unsure how to put the 
question to him.  Then she decided: why bother?  Commander th'Tellan must 
think she was a basket case by now in any case.  Perhaps he would be kind 
enough not to blast her out of existence for one more misstep.  "What 
made you decide to leave Sciences?"
Respectfully submitted,
Masako Goto
Lt. Anne Murray, Ph.D.
CSciO
USS CHESAPEAKE NCC-31813
mgoto@indiana.edu
<>
First of all, apologies to everyone for quoting so much of Melvin's 
post... but I couldn't think of any other way of dealing with it.
Amy, Takako: I know Anne would probably have received some type of answer 
             to her question during the briefing, but knowing her, she'd 
             bring it up again...
Melvin: I hope I didn't misplay th'Tellan too badly; so... is he going to 
        tell her what makes him tick, or is he ticked off at her and 
        planning on the quickest way of sending her out of an airlock?  
        Cool post, btw.  :)
Michael: Knock, knock... Anne might want to see Gann sometime in the near 
         future to discuss task appropriation and all that.
Fabian: If you think the bunny incident is dead... 
Lynnaea: Let me know if/when Keyrin is ready to team up with Anne again.  :)
Chris: Yay!  Even *more* jp possibilities!
James: Will Stavay be willing to talk sociological-shop?  Anne promises 
       not to throw things, since she'll be there on business and all. ;)
Naomi: Hope your writing is going well!!!

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