Updates and Checks

Posted on Wed Jul 31st, 2019 @ 9:20pm by Commander Ichiko Gail & Captain Abigail Laurens

Mission: Getting To Know You
Location: XO's office

Ichiko figured that a change of scenery might do the captain wonders. A little straightening up of her own office, mostly making sure various diplomas hanging from the wall were straight, and she was ready to receive guests. Special care was taken for one particular framed picture, a work of art by a Ts'usugi artist who's work with colored wax was unparalleled.

It was a crayon drawing of a Ts'usugi family, next to their house and a playground. In the sky were three dark clusters of scribbles, while the artist captured the sun's smiling face flawlessly.

Once all was in order, Ichiko prepared a chai latte for her incoming guest, and set it on her desk before tapping her comm badge, "Captain, at your convenience, would you meet me in my office?"

"On my way Commander," Abigail replied, pushing her chair back from her desk so she could walk out.

It was only five minutes or so later that Abigail found herself standing outside Ichiko's office, reaching out and hitting the chime, waiting politely to be invited in.

"Hai, hairu." Ichiko called out, a smirk already on her features as she expected the Captain's entry. "Thank you for coming. I wanted to ... what's the expression... Touch base and make sure things were alright on your end."

She motioned to the chairs, but rather than sitting across from her with the desk dividing the two, she sat in the other chair, joining her captain on this side of formality. "Everything seems to be running smooth, as far as I have heard. It would seem we have a professional, personable crew on our hands." she complimented, "And I'm pleased to be a part of it."

Abigail nodded slowly, taking the seat that had been offered to her. "I think things are well in hand," she said quietly. "The crew has come together well, I have to admit, I am very impressed. I haven't seen any cause for concern yet. I think everyone is working together well..." She crossed her legs neatly and paused, looking thoughtful for a moment. "I haven't seen our Science officer again since she came on board... Lieutenant... Aenera? Do you know how she's settling in?"

"I haven't had need to seek her out yet, which is a good thing. She's quiet. Probably nose deep in her Science department, trying to convince herself that someone else is the chief." Ichiko pondered, crossing her legs at the knee and just relaxing. A sip of tea, a slow breath.

"Once this next catastrophe is behind us I can arrange a visit. Casual, I dare even say friendly." she smirked. "I'll try not to be intimidating." she said, putting on a cute smirk.

"Well, that's a good thing at least," Abigail said quietly. "Hopefully that means she has been settling in okay and we won't have any more concerns with her. Anyone else popping up on your radar?"

"Still, would be nice to check in. I requested a copy of her psyche evaluation to put something in the back of my mind at ease, and do you know what was in there?" a rhetorical question, at best. "The report suggested she may have a perfect memory. What are the odds that one of the few people in the quadrant I could connect with about having the same disorder being someone who probably collapsed under its weight years too soon?"

She took a sip of her tea. "I'm a little worried about Aleksander, but I'm too inexperienced with how Starfleet handles their intelligence agencies to really gauge my concern. He seems a bit unhinged, though that might just be the training. Back home, intelligence agents are essentially everyone else. The cook, the janitor, the third guy you walk past on your way to work every morning. They're trained to be easily forgotten. They don't have any particular accents or dialect ticks, they don't have any expressive body language. He seems... if I use the term 'borderline eccentric' would that make sense?"

"Honestly..." Abigail paused momentarily as if she were weighing up her words carefully. "When he came aboard I was skeptical, I thought he was completely unhinged and unstable and I suspected I'd be jettisoning him out an airlock before we even left the starbase... I ordered immediate psych evaluation and a medical and both came back normal. He's sane. His behavior is reflective of previous experiences..." She paused again. "He's growing on me," she finally said with a smile.

Another pause, another sip of tea. "Do you mind if I ask you something of a personal question?"

"Not at all," Abigail watched her First Officer curiously. "What's on your mind?"

"You had your pick of the entire ship for a Second Officer, or you could have delayed the launch and requested another be imported. Out of everyone on the ship you took a chance with an alien." she smirked, "Though, I suppose we're all alien to each other."

"Out of all of them, you chose me. Which, mind you, might lead to two more Ts'usugi being stationed on the ship, but that wasn't an option before. You chose me." a pause, as she took a measured sip of her tea.

"I'm curious why. Thankful, but curious."

"You impressed me," Abigail said with a smile. "The first time I met you, you didn't shy away. You were confident, and I felt comfortable with your presence." She looked across at Ichiko, smiling sincerely. "Anyone can be taught skills and book smarts, but comfort and trust can't be taught. I think they're the two of the most important factors any command team has. And, well, your records are impeccable, but having gotten to know you a little better, I wouldn't expect anything less."

Ichiko hid a full smile behind her tea, letting only a ghost of a smile survive to fully be seen. "Thank you. I won't forget your confidence." It sounded like something her people were just simply used to saying.

"I... just realized what I said." and with that, she gave a giggle. "On a slightly more serious note, thank you." she now turned her torso to face Abigail fully. Or at least, more fully. "So far, I'm impressed with the crew, and their captain."

"You aren't like Shipmasters back in the Ts'usu navy. They're VERY used to having their way, and only having to listen to the crew through their Ship's Second. You, you welcome conversation. You welcome encounters. I... I like it. It's much more of a community here. We're no less a Navy, but we're a little more then just that.... and I like it."

"My first Commanding Officer... he was, well, he was a bit of a task master," Abigail said quietly. "Nothing anyone ever did was good enough, no one ever had an opinion that was acceptable or an idea that was right. He had his very select little group of favourites and they were the ones that got all the attention. It was disheartening. I transferred out after being there less than a year and my second commanding officer, he was..." a nostalgic smile played at her lips. "He was like a kindly father figure who always had time for everyone. He was the kind of Captain who would walk into the mess hall and have a cup of coffee with a table full of Ensign's and just chat with them because he could. He cared about every individual person on his ship, regardless of their rank or position. He was the one that inspired me to pursue command." She laughed softly. "Sorry, I went off on a bit of a tangent there," she offered with a slight shrug. "I'm only as strong as my crew. You're the ones that make this ship what it is. I'm just along for the ride."

Having a Ts'usugi's full attention was an understatement. Ears perked, eyes focused, shoulders squared. There was almost a weight to being their focus. "No no, please, never apologize for the crime of remembering something. Especially around me." she smiled. Now, a relaxed, honest smile. No more hiding. No more ghosts.

"I'm not allowed to say much about the Shipmaster on the Dark Ship I served on. What I can tell you is that he was a striking man. His very presence commanded respect. Younger than I expected, but he carried himself with the presence of someone twice his years. Everyday he would tour the ship, from fore to aft, and he'd walk into every department and he'd say the same thing."

She said something, in the haunting language of the Ts'usu. It had meaning and weight to it. It would motivate, even without meaning.

"It means, roughly, yours are the shoulders that support the Empire. Work well and do the Emperor proud. Everyday is your finest moment."

"I'm not afraid now to admit I had something of a crush on him."

Abigail laughed softly. "I think everyone has a tale of a commanding officer they completely had a crush on," she said with a light laugh. "Anyone who says otherwise would be lying. Captain Aadran Chaatix, he was the CO of my second year cadet cruise. I don't think there was a single female cadet that wasn't in love with him, he just had that way, he'd look at you and smile and it was like rainbows and puppy dogs," Abigail said with a laugh, a hint of colour rising in her cheeks.

"We all thought he was a little standoffish, then after we got back to the Academy we found out that he was Betazoid and could hear every single wicked thought that any of us ever thought around him," She broke into laughter and shook her head. "I saw him a few times after that and could never bring myself to say hello, but I did run into him again a few years back at a training conference on Earth. Thankfully having the knowledge he was Betazoid saved me but there were several other officers who got caught. Now I know what that particular look and smile means."

That brought a full giggle to the Ts'usugi.

"Oh, oh I think I'd just die." she giggled again, before letting it run its course and returning to a relaxed posture, "Nothing you need to worry about now. Thousands of generations of Ts'usugi, never a single one with anything like the fantastic abilities you have out here. Quite the opposite." she tapped her own head, "We Ts'usugi have a weird bone structure, interferes with telepathy and such. So no, I can't read your mind and find out how you actually feel about me." she teased, "I'll just have to ask, the old fashioned way."

"Though, Shipmaster Kyri had to know. I mean, they just *know* these things, don't they?" she asked with a smirk.

"I don't know, I mean, you'd think they'd know? But some people can be particularly oblivious, so who knows?" Abigail shook her head. "Actually, do we actually have any Betazoids on the ship?" she asked quickly. "It may pay to be aware of who we need to watch our thoughts around!"

"Lieutenant Aenera is the only enlisted Betazoid." Ichiko commented. Naturally, she'd know. "Any others are part of the crew hands or support group, which I haven't had the chance ot peruse the files of yet." she admitted.

"Though, trust your secrets with me, Captain. I'd be curious to see how a telepathic mind handles the mind that won't let go."

"Just.. don't break yourself in the process of finding out?" Abigail half cautioned, half pleaded. "I mean, I'd rather not have this ship responsible for instigating war with the Ts'Usugi Emperor because of a battle of the minds!"

"I assure you, there's a vast difference between Curious and Anxious." Ichiko smirked, "Besides, in regards to the Emperor, she's very understanding. Or so I've heard. Besides, the last thing the Empire wants is another enemy. We want allies, we want breathing room. We want... I don't know..."

A pause, as she looked across the gulf of the two chairs, and gave Abigail a soft smile, "We want friends."

"As do we all," Abigail replied quietly, reaching across between the chairs and setting her hand lightly on Ichiko's forearm. "Come on, Friend," she said with a smile as she stood up. "I think it's about time we get this show on the road. Join me on the bridge?"

"I'd be delighted to." the rabbitess replied with a smirk, standing with her captain, her friend, and following her out to the bridge.

She'd clean up the mugs later.