Quiet Isn't Always Best

Posted on Mon Oct 31st, 2011 @ 11:50pm by Captain Benjamin Byrne & Lieutenant Kalin Jerome & Lieutenant JG Ethan Kessel

Mission: Old Relics
Location: USS Endeavour - Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD01 1440hrs

"Captain," came the voice of one of the ensigns stationed on the bridge. "Lieutenant Jerome and Ensign Kessel are on their way to see you now."

"Thank you, Ensign," Byrne said, over the com, grateful for the rare warning that he was being given to receiving visitors to his ready room. Surely enough, within moments the chime to the door sounded, announcing a visitor on the other side. "Come!" the captain called.

Kalin walked into the room, with Ensign Kessel Right behind him. He knew he shouldn't be nervous, but this was the position he was supposed to be assigned to. It was strange; you'd have thought that if your career had already kick-started several weeks early because of a fatal heart attack and a radiation leak, then the chances are, nothing would make a person nervous in their first assignment. Unfortunately, this was not the case with the Lieutenant.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalin Jerome here sir. And don't tell me: you've read my files; well I can assure you they're all lies. All of them. Especially that one involving the chicken and the admiral's best hat, that one is pure slander-"

Ensign Kessel elbowed his friend in the ribs before he began to babble and calmly took in his surroundings, in what he hoped was a professional manner. He did not know if the Captain simply wanted to meet some of the ships new crew, or whether he had done something wrong. He was not always comfortable in the presence of the Commanding officers - particularly ones that he had never met before. "You wanted to see us sir?"

He hoped that the captain was not put off by the Lieutenant's outburst.

"Yes, Ensign, Lieutenant," the captain said, standing and allowing a slightly perplexed expression onto his face at Jerome's outburst. "As you both know, you've been newly transferred aboard the Endeavour, and I like to ensure that I get a chance to meet as many new transfers as I can each time we take personnel on." He paused, to look at the pair of them for a few moments. "I take it from what I read in your service records that you're both friends from your time at the Academy?"

Ethan Kessel smiled. "Oh yes, me and Havoc go way back, since before the academy even, back on Titan. I used to bet that he'd be running a pile of expensive equipment in a Medical center some, and he used to bet that I'd End up in a research team "blowing up Atoms for a living" as he put. Never dreamed I'd be doing it from Starfleet Ship though, that's for sure.

"The Lieutenant and I spent a lot of time at the academy together sir, particularly in the simulations.... Mainly so we could try to beat each other's times to complete the scenario.... To be honest we treated a lot of the tests like video games... made them easier to bear somehow - Now that made the Kobayashi Maru difficult - but hey, you know how the academy years are." Kessel grinned.

The Ensign found himself liking this Captain, who would sit and talk to two newly graduated junior officers with actual interest, rather than the indifference that some Commanding Officers were known for.

Benjamin found himself smiling slightly despite himself as the Ensign went on. He had a feeling that the pair of officers would be some of the more verbose in the mess hall at meal times. "Well, it's good to know that you've both got someone on board that you know already. We're quite a distance away from the Federation core worlds, and if you don't know anybody on the ship, it can get quite isolated." He broke eye contact as he located a pair of PADDs on his desk. Picking them up, he handed one each to the officers in front of him. "Ensign, your senior officer has reported aboard already this morning, so I would advise you check in with him for his own standing orders, but for both of you, these are the pertinent details you need to know about the Endeavour and how we operate here. Lieutenant, we're currently awaiting the assignment of a chief medical officer, so for the time being you'll be covering those duties as well. Another little joy of being promoted whilst on the Antarctic," he gave a wry smile, aware that extra paperwork and duties were hardly considered a 'joy'.

"Your quarter assignments are also on there," he continued. Though Jerome's rank allowed him his own set of private quarters, Kessel on the other hand was to be billeted with a room-mate for his time on board, until he either rose in rank or position. Benjamin had considered a few times before why Starfleet didn't simply design ships that were getting ever larger to have more individual crew quarters, but at the same time he understood and agreed with the need for efficiency in design. "Any questions?"

"No sir." Said Kalin, as he began to flick through the PADD, looking to see what his afternoon will hold for him. He looked in at the current orders page to see who was currently on their death bed.

"Aye sir, I see you've assigned me to the post of Energy/Matter Specialist. Thank you sir.

"Actually sir" Ethan said, "Who is my Room Mate? Is someone already assigned there?" Silently he was thinking a quite different thought. How come Kalin doesn't have one? Rank. That was why. For reasons Ethan had never quite managed to discern, Kalin Jerome had managed to become assistant Medical Officer, without actually ever serving aboard the ship before - Not to mention being promoted to Lieutenant, just for turning up. Still Early days... Scratch that, early Hours, they had only been on board for a short time. Maybe in time he would also become an assistant Chief in his field, one day soon... Maybe he'd even serve on the bridge... He knew most Engineers liked to spend all their time in the Engineering, but although he enjoyed that, He also liked to be where the action was...

"Sir, Do you know where I can find my senior Officer is currently? I believe he is called Linom Dekur?

"You will need to speak to the Quartermaster about your specific quarters arrangements," Benjamin commented. There's no way that he'd know the details of where everybody onboard was billeted, what equipment they'd been issued, returned, requested replaced or repaired and so on in addition to running the ship and its various departments as well. "As for your department head, Commander Dekur reported in to me about an hour ago. I assume he's likely settling in to either his quarters or his work area."

Standing from behind his desk, the captain reached out a hand to shake those of the men in front of him. "If that is all gentlemen, you're dismissed. As you can imagine, I've still got a few people to see today."

As the two men turned to leave, Benjamin returned to his seat and watched them go with a smile on his face. They certainly weren't going to be the quietest members of the crew, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

--------------
Captain Benjamin J. Byrne
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Kalin Jerome
Asst. Chief Medical Officer

&

Ensign Ethan Kessel
Energy/Matter Specialist
USS Endeavour NCC-86105