A meeting over mastication

Posted on Mon Oct 21st, 2019 @ 5:00am by Lieutenant Mica Rue & Captain Abigail Laurens

Mica slid into the booth at the restaurant, smiling at the waitress as she approached the table.

"An ice water and whatever your special is."

Abigail glanced around the restaurant as she walked in, recognizing Mica from the pictures in her profile. Walking across, she slid into the booth across from the other woman and offered a smile. "Lieutenant Rue?" she queried, holding out her hand. "I'm Commander Laurens. Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice, and I'm sorry to have intruded on the last of your shore leave."

Mica gave her a toothy grin and took the other woman's hand. "Pleased to meet you, commander. It was no problem at all. I am looking forward to getting back to work, actually, especially since this will be my first ship assignment after all those bases."

With a smile, Abigail relaxed visibly. "Honestly, I'm glad to hear you say that... but unfortunately I do need to tell you that there's been a slight mix up with your orders." Noting the expression on Mica's face, she held up her hand quickly. "Don't get me wrong, you'll still be assigned to Astraea, it's just that your role will be a little different."

"Different?" Mica asked, her smiled fading. "I have some education in xenolinguistics, ma'am, though it has been some time since I used it on any full scale volume...."

"No, no, nothing like that," Abigail followed through, pausing long enough to place her own order with the waitress. "It seems that our Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Hanson has been reassigned unexpectedly due to family reasons. You're the next most highly qualified. If you don't object, I'll formally assign you to the position of Chief Engineering Officer aboard the Astraea."

Mica choked on the water she was sipping. "Chief Engineer? Ma'am, I've never been chief before, and never served on a ship, only bases..."

"Which makes you more than qualified," Abigail countered gently. "I wouldn't have offered you the position if I didn't think you could do it."

Putting the glass down slowly, Mica licked her bottom lip, thinking. The silence only lasted a moment before she looked up, a smile on her lips again. "I'll do my very best, ma'am."

"Good, that's all I expect," Abigail replied with a warm smile. "Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself? I mean, I know what your jacket says, but what about the rest of it?"

Mica let the goofy smile she reserved for friends inch over her facade. This co was more personable than the stuffy last few captains she had been under, younger and spunkier too. She hoped that the fresh new perspective would lend itself well to the ship the new chief engineer had just taken on.

Drawing in a deep breath, Mica began. "I grew up on Trill with my parents and three older brothers..."