Decisions decisions
Posted on Mon Dec 23rd, 2024 @ 11:32pm by Captain Daegan Baas & Lieutenant Liam O'Riley
1,613 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
A New Beginning
Location: Bridge / Ready room
[Bridge]
The officer of the watch was standing behind the Captain's chair was she surveyed the activity around her. For the most part her day had been directing officers from the turbolifts to the ready for one meeting or another. Once in a while she would pop in between visitors to see if anything was needed, just to get the chance to talk to him. The long silver hair broad shoulders.... She was force out of her day dream as one of the lifts opened with another officer with a puzzled expression. "Can I help you Lieutenant?"
"Actually you can" Liam stated with a smile "I'm Lieutenant Liam O'Riley, here for an interview with a Captain Daegan Baas."
She smiled and nodded at the ginger officer, "Another fresh face. Well have a seat if you want. The Captain is still in with the last at the moment. What position are you gunning for?"
"Thank you" Liam replied returning her smile "But I think I'll stand until the Captain's ready to see me" he was way to excited to sit "I'm gunning for, as you put it, the Chief Engineering Officer's position."
She nodded glancing at the station behind her as it beeped. "There have been quite a few officers coming and going the last day or so for... she was interrupted by the opening of the Ready room door and a rather red faced Lt. Commander marched his way to the nearest lift. In the doorway was an equally red faced Captain with his arms crossed over his chest.
As soon as the lift closed, Daegan spoke sternly. "Lieutenant Tyler. Make sure that arrogant, self-entitled excuse for an officer gets off my ship."
"Aye sir." Gesturing to the recent arrival, "Captain, this is Lt. O'Reilly to see you."
Daegan nodded, waving him to follow. "Ah yes. Right this way Lieutenant", as he disappeared back into his ready room.
"Good luck", she whispered.
Seeing the exchange between that officer and the Captain, Liam wondered if this was such a good idea after all. Swallowing hard he followed the Captain as directed; walking into the ready room awaiting the Captain's next comment.
Daegan looked out through the partition to the observation lounge taking a deep breath as he centered himself. He had allowed himself to get to close to, well to the task at hand. Turning to face his next contestant he gestured to the open seat at his deck. "My apologies Lieutenant. Sometimes you have to take out the trash. I know I'll be talking with his former CO about the smoke he was trying to blow with that man's recommendation, among other things him assuming he was not only getting the job as XO but going to take over the officer selection as well. But enough of that....would you like something to drink?"
"Yes, actually I could use a water please" Liam replied feeling a little bit better about facing the Captain and the interview as he sat across from the desk.
Turning to the replication behind his desk he called up the water and passed it across as he picked up the padd set aside for O'Reilly. Let's see...yes Chief Engineer. Picked up Assistant Chief as an Ensign....Impressive. Served on both an Excelsior and Sovereign class ships. Obviously you know your why around a warp core, but tell me; how does an Ensign pick up an Assistant CEO billet?
Liam took a breathe "Being a medical ship the selection in engineering was rather thin. The ACEO contracted a deadly disease and unfortunately caused his demise" then he paused "I was the next officer in the mix, so the job fell to me. At that point I decided to run with it and the rest, as they say, is history' Liam explained.
"I see. Trial by fire, some of the greatest officers in Starfleet history were forged that way. Do you think that'll be you one day?"
Showing a slight grin "I'd like to think so Sir" he replied "But my immediate objective, if chosen, is to take care of the ship and her crew; anything else will come as it may."
Returning the grin as he mentally kept score between him and the others he had interviewed. "You might think this an odd question but what's you favorite class of starship and why?"
Thinking for a few moments "I'd have to say Saber Class, the first ship I served on. My reason is simple; it's a smaller ship with a smaller crew, and from personal experience, it's a very fast and heavily armed ship capable of getting in fast then out just as fast" Liam explained curious about the nature of the question.
If it had been any other situation he might have thought differently but he was pretty sure his assumption was correct. Time would tell. "Well everyone remembers their first ship. Given the size of the ship and the circumstances those bonds of family form quickly. Was it the comradery on the ship, or the ship itself? I mean there are a lot of ship that are faster and more powerfully armed.
After mulling over the question a few moments "I suppose a little bit of both. Being fresh out of the academy it was very easy to get to know the rest of the department due to it's small size, plus there was a much smaller area to take care of" then he paused "It's that experience I have carried with me in all my postings" Liam concluded bring back memories of the Hermes.
Daegan was liking what he was hearing. "Well the Valkyrie is considerably larger, similar in size to a sovereign. How did to make the shift from the small, close knit department to the much larger and more complex starships?"
Liam grinned "I'll have admit it was a little daunting at first but after a couple of months things smoothened out and I started to fit right in" as he paused a moment "I realized the size of the ship really didn't matter that much as long as I allowed myself open to new possibilities" he explained.
"Are you referring possibilities for personal interactions or professional growth?"
"Both really. I think they tend to be intertwined, one with the other" Liam replied curious where this was going.
Chalk another one up for him. "Can I assume from that you apply the same to those within your department. Self improvement within their field, team building, and social activities...hobbies...ship-board functions, etc.."
"Yes, as much as possible. Over time I endeavor to get to know each person in the department and my door is always open to everyone of them. Without my team, there isn't much of an engineering department" Liam replied firm in his beliefs.
Daegan could hear the ardentness behind his statement. "One last question. Are you one that needs to have everything run past you or do you allow you people to exercise their own judgement?"
"That depends. If it's day to day routine then I want people to use their own discretion; that's how they learn. However if it's a critical systems item....let's say shutting down a life support.....then I need to be consulted first and this I will go over with the entire staff if selected as your new Chief" Liam explained with conviction.
He made a few random taps on the padd in his hand before setting it aside. "Well if we ever find ourselves needing to shut down life support, that will be a serious situation indeed and a call I will have to make, based many factors, your input among them." Waving his hand in a gesture as he remembered, "Speaking of ships systems, and as a younger officer, what is you opinion on the integration of the fleet?"
Liam grinned "Thank you for the younger officer reference Captain. Actually I think it's long overdue and can only serve to make the Federation and Star Fleet even stronger and more resilient in the future" he replied.
Shaking his head. "And here you were doing so well. But we'll just chalk that up to a different outlook from us older folks, and as a former security officer, it has been my experience that the more integrated things are the more vulnerable you are. BUT, not everyone agrees on everything, nor should they be expected to. Plus, the powers that be have deemed otherwise, so we will just have to wait and see.
"At any rate," standing and offering him his hand, "Congratulations Lieutenant. Welcome to the Valkyrie."
With the Captain's previous comment Liam's heart was in his mouth, to say the least. But now a smile came across his face as he stood and shook his new boss's hand "Thank you Sir, it will be an honor to serve under your command" he stated with sincerity.
"Excellent. Oh, you should know that you have an aquatic on your staff. She is unable to leave her environment, but I don't want her to feel she's only involved though a comms channel."
Thinking for a few moments "Let me look over her personal file to get more information. I'm sure something can be worked out to make her feel part of the team" Liam stated looking forward to the challenge "May I be dismissed Captain."
"Excellent. But before you go... Computer, senior officer appointment. Lieutenant Liam O'Riley is here-by designated as Chief Engineering Officer of the USS Valkyrie. Authorization Baas, Gamma-91735-Echo."
"Acknowledge. All Engineering authority and authorizations are now under Lieutenant Liam O'Riley."
Captain Daegan Baas
CO
Lieutenant Liam O'Riley
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Valkyrie
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