Topic: Star Trek: The Scales of Eternity
Subject: Chance Meetings (Mine and Eol's Collab)
Stardate 2365-05-05
USS Peregrine; Deck 2 - XO’s Office - 1345
A dispirited sigh whispered across Tochi’s lips when he stabbed a finger at the litany of reports scrolling across the console set in his desk. The computer chirruped in acknowledgement and brought the crew manifest into focus. A heavier sigh escaped the Trill, then, and, even as his gaze lingered on Peregrine’s updated roster, he slumped back in his seat and shoved his hands through his coffee-colored hair before allowing his fingers to rub at his spotted temples.
“Wonderful,” he murmured, mildly overwhelmed by the sheer number of new names that appeared, “Just what we were hoping to avoid. I’m not sure I’m entirely ready to throw myself back into that part of our job.”
Crew turnover was part and parcel on any Starfleet vessel, of course, and Peregrine had seen her fair share in the time he had served as her Executive Officer. In all but a few of those cases, he had approached it as ‘business as usual,’ with no compunction about seeking out the new faces, introducing himself, and welcoming them aboard. This time was different, though. This time he would be welcoming replacements for friends and colleagues who had lost their lives in Operation: Veiled Chimera, not ones who had simply retired or transferred to a new posting. For the first time he could recall in his tenure as XO, the thoughts of welcoming new crewmates hurt his heart and it certainly wasn’t a thing he was looking forward to doing… especially where Sciences was concerned.
“So, we don’t start with Sciences,” he chastised himself, pointedly ignoring the name that had replaced Asovil’s on the roster, “This is still our job and we can’t let our feelings interfere with function, can we?” The flick of a cool finger on the console dismissed the SCI roster and took him to TAC and, heading that list, a name that coaxed a plethora of Odia’s memories to scratch at his mind.
“Lt Zhay-la Zha’von Taissud,” Tochi read, leaning forward and spiking a curious brow, “That sounds like an Orion name. We weren’t aware that there were any Orions in Starfleet.” He tapped the name, opening the new CTO’s service record, and confirmed that the new CTO was, in fact, an Orion. “Huh… Interesting.”
He gave the dossier a quick once-over, taking note of several entries that, beyond her species, might make good talking-points for an introductory meeting. When he had finished, he dismissed the screen with the tap of a finger and rose from his seat. “Given the circumstances, I suppose starting with the most curious roster entry is a good place to start,” he mused, straightening his tunic as he rounded his desk. “Computer: Locate Lt Taissud.”
=/=Lt Taissud is on the Phaser Range. Deck 5.=/=
“Of course she is,” Tochi smirked, striding through his office door and into the corridor, “That Orion aggressiveness and such…”
Deck 5 - Security Department; Phaser Range - 1354
The door to the phaser range whisked away and Commander Zai was greeted with the scene of what appeared to be a small-arms qualification drill for the entirety of the Security contingent. Four men, armed with standard issue phasers, stood on the active platform, firing at holographic targets as they appeared. The remainder of the SEC forces, also separated into groups of four, lined the walls away from the platform, watching as their new Chief walked the perimeter, apparently scrutinizing every move that their compatriots made...
“You,” the hooded woman called, a long, accusatory, emerald-green finger pointing at Crewman Galla, “You are not leading your target enough! This is why you miss! You must aim a nanosecond ahead of where you expect to strike to be effective!”
“Yes, sir,” Galla acknowledged, his shoulders slumping almost imperceptibly just before he readied himself for the next wave of targets, “I’m trying.”
“Try harder,” Lt Taissud suggested, as she continued her prowling path around the platform, “Do better.”
...The Orion woman went on to make three more circuits around the phaser platform before the program ended and, only then, it seemed, did she take notice of the Trill who stood, patiently observing, by the range’s door. When her eyes met his, he offered a faint nod and a curiously disarming smile. As Galla and his group climbed down from the platform, Lt Taissud called out for the next team to make ready and, quickly noting the Lt Commander’s pips on the Trill’s collar, returned the man’s nod before abandoning the circle she had been pacing to make her way closer.
“Good afternoon, Lieutenant,” Tochi said as she drew closer, “Please, don’t let me interrupt.”.
The tunnel vision that overtook Zhay-la in the middle of training abated at the sight of the Trill in senior officer pips. Executive Officer even, she noted, and approached after a customary nod.
“You’re interrupting nothing more than assessment, sir,” she offered. “Intermingling the new transfers and familiarizing myself with the established officers so that I know what I have to work with.” Coming to a stop beside the XO, arms crossed behind her, feet spread, Zhay-la regarded him. “May I be of use while they put more holes in the range than the target?”
Tochi chuckled at that, his gaze flitting from Zhay-la’s face to the assembled security officers and back again. “Go easy on them, at first, Lieutenant,” he said from behind a smile tinged, it seemed, with a modicum of sadness, “Those who aren’t new transfers have been in quarantine for the past couple of months, after all. It may take a few days for them to get back up to speed.
As to being of use,” he continued, his eyes finding hers and the melancholy melting from his grin, “it seems as if you are doing just that already. We simply wanted to stop by, welcome you aboard, and introduce myself.” He extended a hand, then; “I’m Lt Commander Zai; the Peregrine’s Executive Officer. You’re finding everything acceptable, thus far, we hope?”
Ah, Trill, Zhay-la noted finally, glancing between the scales on his temples and the XO’s outstretched hand. “A pleasure, Lieutenant Commander,” she greeted, giving his hand a firm squeeze. “The Peregrine and her crew do not disappoint. In truth, I’m surprised at the resiliency of it all.”
At her assessment, a sense of pride swelled in the Trill’s chest and seeped, too, into his grin. “She is a tough little ship,” he acknowledged with a nod. He released her hand, mildly curious about the faint, tingling itch that the handshake had left on his palm, and gestured to the crew members she had assembled on the range; “Her people make her all the more so, of course.”
“I did mean her people, sir,” Zhay-la amended. Surveying her subordinates, the Orion had a flutter of uncertain hope. “In the wake of the Peregrine’s last mission, I was expecting more changes needing to be made. Might help that there is some new life being pumped in with all the transfers.”
“Mmm,” the mention of Chimera erased the smile from Tochi’s face and, for a flickering instant, cast his eyes deckward. “Yes,” he concurred, “that mission certainly took a toll on us all.” His gaze lifted from the floor, then, and swept the expanse of the range, taking in the familiar faces along with the new, before returning, again, to the Orion woman standing beside him. “We have come to learn, in our years on board, that Peregrine’s crew is just as tenacious and resilient as she is,” he offered, a somewhat sadder smile returning to his lips, “Whether that’s something that the ship brings out in them or something they bring out in the ship, though, I have yet managed to determine.” His smile brightened a bit, then, causing his green-gold eyes to sparkle a bit as a soft chuckle escaped him; “Perhaps, with so many new additions to the roster, we’ll finally find out, hm?”
Zhay-la studied the look on Tochi’s face, parsing that mentioning the USS Serapis onwards would be a bad idea. At his returned optimism, she offers a small smile of her own. “I’ve found that it’s often the people around you that brings out the best, rather than decks and consoles.”
“Quite,” Tochi said, nodding appreciatively at her observation, “Here’s to the hope that that trend continues and we all continue to bring out the best in one another, yes?”
Another chuckle, more mirthful than his last, blew past the XO’s lips, then, and, as he clasped his hands behind his back, he tilted his head in the direction of the assembled crew. “It would seem I’ve interrupted you in the midst of doing that very thing, Lieutenant,” he mused, “Perhaps we should let you get back to it and save this ‘getting to know you’ routine of mine for another time?”
“Unnecessary,” Zhay-la countered. “I was about to rotate in the third squad and hand things over to Lieutenant Reid.” Nodding to the aforementioned man, Zhay-la gave the saluting officers a nod in return as she made for the door. “Care to walk me to my office?”
“It would be our pleasure,” Zai returned, falling into step beside the woman and putting the Phaser Range behind them. When the hatch had hissed shut in their wake, Tochi glanced at Zhay-la, regarding her with a sheepish smile that served to only marginally mask the curiosity he felt in regard to her. Though he was genuinely interested, he imagined that asking what it was like to be the only member of her species to serve in Starfleet might be bad form, so, instead, he began; “Your service record is quite a read, Zhay-la… may I call you Zhay-la?...”
An eyebrow arched at the informality of her name, then furrowed at the mention of her service record. Here we go, she steeled herself, lips pressing together before she looks the XO in the eye for this. “My service record is sealed for all save the highest ranked officers, which includes yourself and Captain Drake, and for good reason. Yes, I’m an Orion, the only one currently on active duty in Starfleet, and I’d say it’s in the interest of this venture for racial inclusion that my service record remain a ‘good read’ you and the captain giggle amongst yourselves about.”
She took another step forward, vibrating a bit with annoyance, but then added, “And Zhay-la is fine, sir.”
Well, it didn’t take long to stoke that Orion aggression, did it?
The Trill’s eyes widened in the face of the woman’s apparent aggravation with his comment and his hand went up in hopes of forestalling any further stoking of her ire at the subject. “Whoa! We meant no offence, Lieutenant,” he offered with sincerity, “nor did I mean to imply that anything in your jacket was a source of amusement for the Captain, myself, or anyone else. I only intended to suggest that, of all the dossiers that have come across my desk, yours is far from what we have come to regard as ‘standard.’ If I offended you, I do apologize.”
He offered what he hoped was a placating smile, then, and the hand he had raised to avert her irritation went to his chest; “And, thank you, Zhay-la; I’m Tochi.”
A breath loosed from Zhay-la’s mouth, and she pinched the bridge of her nose. “My apologies, Lieutenant Commander. You were trying to make conversation and I jumped down your throat.” She looked into his eyes, sincerely hoping she was coming across as apologetic here, rather than the anger she was feeling inside. “I’ve simply seen enough of Starfleet’s attitude of my people to have decided that preempting comments and discussion is prudent.”
“Understandable,” Zai responded, “and, perhaps, I should have considered that before I chose my words.” He felt as if he should rest a reassuring hand on Zhay-la’s shoulder, here, but, given her reaction to his initial ice-breaker, he was more than a little tentative about doing so… at least, at first.
“Listen,” he continued gently, “we know what it’s like to be the subject of whispered conversations and skeptical speculation - and this from my own people - far be it from me to knowingly subject anyone else to such things. As the XO, it’s part of my job to know every name and face on this ship, but familiarity with names and faces only scratches the surface of what I need to be truly effective in bringing all of us together as a crew… as a family. A name and a face is a good start, Zhay-la, but, in the end, we need to know the person behind them both and that is the reason that I do these meet and greets with all new crew.”
He realized, then, that, despite his initial reluctance to do so, his hand had come to rest on her shoulder and had begun to usher them back into step toward the CTO’s office. “I am not here to judge you, Lieutenant,” he offered as he let his hand fall, first to his side and, then, to be clasped in the other behind his back, “on your species, on your past, or anything else than what you bring to this boat. I’m here because I want to get to know you, nothing more.”
Zhay-la spent a moment studying Tochi - first to assess how best to dislocate his wrist, as he reached towards her shoulder; then his face, scrutinizing his intent - and decided that had she been ten years younger, she would have used her pheromones on him ten minutes earlier and left him dead in a broom closet afterwards. But, with a decade of service and two pips attached to her collar, it’s easier for Zhay-la to take a breath and allow the contact, falling into step with the Trill once more. “Unfortunate that any such prejudice should exist, most of all amongst your fellows.” She pondered the lights above her for a moment. “And Starfleet has not been all bad for me, so I yet hold onto hope for the Peregrine and her crew being another positive. Especially with an XO so clearly attentive to his subordinates,” she jested, winking at Tochi.
He blinked when she winked at him and, then, smiled somewhat awkwardly as his spots went purple. He forced his eyes away from hers and cleared his throat. “Someone once said that it requires less mental effort to condemn than to think,” he said as they neared the doorway to her office, “and there is nothing more frightening than ignorance in action. To that end, I’ll hold onto that hope with you and ask that, should it ever be otherwise, you let me know.”
Curious, she thought, glancing at his darkening scales and cheeks. A small smirk came to her lips, hid behind her hand as she cleared her throat. “Wise words,” she commented, coming to stand in front of Tochi in her office doorway. “I’ll be certain to report any comparison to human fantasy ‘orcs’ I receive.” Then she added, “After I break their wrists.”
With a smile and a slight squeeze to his upper arm, Zhay-la entered her office. As she settled behind her desk, setting about organizing data pads and remaining boxes, she found herself continuing to smile. An odd, somewhat charged encounter with a senior officer she was no stranger to - her reprimands record proved that - but nevertheless, Lt. Commander Zai at least seemed… interesting.
After I break their wrists… Tochi couldn’t help but chuckle at that. His… well, Odia’s (and possibly Dirven’s)... experience with Orions had already led him to believe that such a measure was possible, if not to be entirely expected. The old trader’s memories considered, though, and despite his own amusement at the proposition, the Trill felt, for some reason, the need to say; “Before you physically damage someone, please come and see me first. We’re a small hip, after all, and every hand counts.” He gestured, then, to an empty seat on his side of the desk; “May I?”
Zhay-la gestured to the seat with a stack of paperwork. “If you don’t mind rustling boxes, be my guest, sir.”
He cleared the seat of the box that occupied it, setting the thing atop another that sat beside the chair before settling in. “So,” the XO grinned, leaning back in the chair as he watched the CTO perch herself in her own seat, “you’ve made it fairly clear that you don’t wish to discuss your past or your service record. To that end, Lieutenant, what do we talk about? Tell us something that might help me get to know Zhay-la Zha’von Taissud without broaching any forbidden topics.”
Returning the grin, Zhay-la steepled her fingers in front of her and leaned her mouth against them, hiding her smirk as she said, “I know sixteen different ways to kill with a chair. Would that be of interest to you?”
She gave the Trill only a second to become mildly worried before laughing. “I suppose that’d be a bit close to a ‘forbidden topic,’ though.” She pondered for a moment, then offered, “My favourite colour is purple.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief and challenge, waiting for Tochi’s response.
He chuckled at the “16 ways to kill with a chair” quip even though, somehow, he imagined she might be quite serious about it given the ‘forbidden topic’ comment that followed. If he hadn’t been curious about the redacted portions of her record before, he was definitely wondering about them, now. Tochi leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and lacing his fingers together, and grinned at Zhay-la; “Purple, is it? We tend to lean more toward blue, myself.” His grin turned somewhat roguish, then. “How do you feel about puppies, sunsets, and long walks on the beach?”
Zhay-la leaned forward herself, awkwardly, amongst the boxes and wrapping paper surrounding her. “Puppies are a nuisance; old dogs are much better companions,” she listed teasingly. “Sunsets are best on Rigel V, and long walks on the beach are best done in a holodeck, as I hate sand between my toes.”
“Duly noted,” the Trill laughed, “and what about feather apes or, say, unicorns?”
“Suitable for a little girl’s room,” she returned, setting about unpacking a box. “Now, how about a real conversation topic. How did you come to serve in Starfleet?”
There we go, Tochi thought, pleased that his nonsense talk had brought the Orion woman around to broaching the subjects he was truly looking to open, and, if we have to go first, so be it.
“By the standard means for we fly-boy types, I suppose,” he answered, settling back in the chair again, his eyes following her as she continued her unpacking. “My mother likes to say that I wanted to fly before I could even walk and I was always the curious and adventurous sort as a kid. I suppose I saw Starfleet as a means to an end, in that regard. You know, join the fleet, fly starships and explore the galaxy; what’s not to love about that?
Anyway, I threw myself into studying Flight Engineering and Astrophysics at the Science Ministry back home and, when I turned fourteen, I submitted my first application to the Academy. I failed my first exam, of course - too young, too rambunctious, not enough focus, that sort of thing - but, determined as I was, I poured myself into my studies, retook the exam a few weeks later, and passed,” he shrugged and offered a faint smirk, “I won’t say ‘with flying colors,’ as I’m sure that wasn’t the case. My scores were good enough to get accepted, though, and, soon enough, I was on a transport to Earth. Goodbye, Trill; hello, Starfleet Academy.
If you were to ask some people,” he continued, “They’d tell you that I had a bit of a stormy tenure at the Academy. I was a bit of a rabble-rouser in those days and Eric Thorson, a classmate of mine, was all too happy to encourage and join me on my more rebellious escapades. Troubled youth aside, however, I somehow managed to earn Premier Distinctions in Advanced Nav, Flight Control, and Subspace Geometry. Graduated in ‘52, took my first post as a shuttle pilot aboard the Perseus, and, two years later, found myself serving as her aFCO.”
Tochi offered a shrug, then. “Not much to it really,” he said, “If I recall your jacket correctly, you were graduating the Academy at around that same time, correct; in ‘54?”
“Good memory, Commander,” Zhay-la remarked. From the box she produced her collection of knives, unwrapping them carefully and looking over them for damage before she set about situating them on wall mounts. “Yes, I graduated from the Academy on Beta Ursae Minor II in ‘54.” She faced Tochi, resting her arms on the desk. “Afraid I haven’t any good anecdotes from my time there. Due to ‘extenuating circumstances,’ I was fast tracked for graduation. The Stalker was my first posting.”
Eyes studying the Trill’s face for a moment, Zhay-la debated a moment before deciding to push with her curiosity. “Sounds as though you’ve been on the up-and-up since Academy days, sir. A pretty straight shot from pilot to XO.”
“Not as straight a shot as one might imagine,” Tochi smirked, “I had a reputation as a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type early on in my career. Command wasn’t exactly impressed and, as such, I held on to my Ensign’s pip a bit longer than I probably should have.”
“Hardly something to be ashamed of,” Zhay-la offered, surprising herself with the sincerity and kindness of the statement. “Not everyone’s career in Starfleet is as seamless as the Academy tells you it ought to be, trust me.”
The Trill nodded his agreement with her assessment and, along with the nod, offered a grin and a faint shrug. “We did manage to finally pin on our Junior Grade toward the end of that year, though,” he continued, “We finished out my tour on the Perseus in ‘55 and was transferred to the shipyards at Utopia Planetia where I did a stint as a shakedown pilot on the Steamrunner project. Following that, there was a short tour as the AFCO aboard the Choctaw, and then it was back to the shipyards to put the Sabers through their paces. We took this very ship off the line and delivered it to Captain Drake when he was given his command, in fact, and we’ve been with her ever since.”
An eyebrow was raised at the apparent pride in Tochi’s voice at the mention of the Peregrine’s and his history. “Quite the attachment you must have to her then, sir,” she commented. “I can’t say I relate; I was reassigned to three different ships in as many years, then off chasing an admiral’s coattails on any serviceable vessel. The Calypso has thus far been my longest-lasting post, but even then, for how many away missions I lead, I don’t know if I spent more time aboard her or planetside.”
“The Peregrine is home,” Zai confirmed and then, almost wistfully, added, “and her crew is our family.”
He hauled himself out of the seat, then, his gaze panning over her collection of blades as he did so. “We’re happy to have added you to it, Zhay-la,” he said, his eyes returning to the CTO, “let’s hope we can keep you here longer than the Calypso, hm?
I suppose I’ve taken up enough of your time,” Tochi grinned, “It was a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant. We look forward to serving with you.”
“That’s the plan, sir,” Zhay-la stood, extending a hand towards the XO. “I shall see you on the deck at launch.”
“If not sooner,” he smiled, closing his cold fingers around the proffered hand and giving a firm shake, “Have a good day, Zhay-la.”
With that, Commander Zai took his leave and strode from her office. That didn’t go quite the way we imagined it might, he mused as the door whoosed closed behind him, There’s more mystery there, now, than there was before. Intriguing.
Within her office, Zhay-la settled back into her seat. She withdrew the dagger in a sheath on her forearm, contemplating the iridescent handle of her dancerknife for a moment. Strange, Zhay-la thought to herself. I didn’t want to punch this senior officer.
Posted on 2021-02-10 at 16:18:05.
|
What game do you own the 
Return to Charadun - Q&A
The Morphing Game
Return to Charadun - Recr
