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EPIL: S [D06|1400] Opus Enim Conversationem

EPILOGUE: SUPPLEMENTAL [ DAY 06 | 1400 HRS. ] OPUS ENIM CONVERSATIONEM

[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Auctor Lucan 
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Natalie had stood up from the center seat a few minutes prior, and taken a quick walk around the bridge. She had moved from station to station, checking in on every crew member present.  For most of the past few hours, since they had exited the aperture and beheld the sight of thecosmosians, floating along through space, Natalie had been on the bridge. There had been one or two matters that needed her attention elsewhere, and there had been a brief, five minute chat with the Captain to establish standing orders for the immediate future.

She had been in the center seat, when Carrigan Trent had left the Ready Room. He'd not said a word, just left, and made straight for the turbolift. She had watched him leave, but he didn't even turn around to look at the bridge as the doors closed. She could not offer him sympathy - she had not been present when he'd arrived. Thus, they passed like ships in the night, no moment to ensure that the man that had started her on the path to more responsibly saw something of a friendly face.

Natalie wasn't sure she agreed with Jennifer Dewitt's actions, but then, she also wasn't sure she agreed with Carrigan Trent's. What she was sure of, was that she had not been present to witness either. She, and Cinn had been forced to deal with the situation as it stood. And now he's gone too she thought bitterly, standing by the mission Ops console she'd helmed near the end of their encounter with the Borg. She forced a smile for the officer, and looked over the status of the ships fighter wing.

Satisfied, she blew out a bit of air, and moved over to the replicator. She used the reflective surface to check her hair, and summoned up a small glass of water which she promptly gulped down. She looked - tired, she decided.  Yes, tired. It had been a long day already. A stressful one. There was much for her to deal with, and she had taken on even more, to allow Captain Ives to focus where they needed.

She liked to think she'd been helpful, in that aspect if nothing else.

There should be more ...anxiety. More sorrow. More stress, she thought to herself. The Natalie of a few weeks ago would be going out of her mind, trying to keep it all bottled up. Yet there was...calm. It almost frightened her, because she wondered if she'd managed to become too hardened already? Didn't seem possible. I need to sit with Ejek and get my head pshrinked.

With that joyful thought in mind, she turned away, let the empty cup recycle back into the matter stream and moved across the bridge, stopping to grab her PADD from the center seat. A few moments prior, the officer from the Bellerophon had left the Ready Room as well. Ida zh'Wann had been there to escort her. That meant it was time for her meeting. 

"You have the bridge," she called to the watch duty officer, who stood up from their station and moved to take the seat. A replacement seemed to materialize out of thin air, as Natalie stepped past. She gave a little nod to two gold clad crewmen who had an access panel open nearby, working on repairs, and then tugged her jacket into place, and smoothed her skirt, like a schoolgirl about to see the principal. Then she stepped forward, into the sensor range of the door.

"It's Lieutenant Commander Stark, Captain," She called out when the door chimed, and stepped into the Ready Room when the doors opened and the Captain beckoned her in.

Re: EPIL:S [D06|1400] Opus Enim Conversationem

Reply #1 –
[ Captain Ives | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] @Brutus
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It had been a long session with Commander Hathev, for obvious reasons, but in the end, Jien was carefully optimistic about the development. He believed, despite the poor diplomatic foundation he had been given for the conversation, that he might actually resolve the tensions. To make them all join the crew might prove more difficult, but he couldn't have asked for a better counterpart than the Vulcan counsellor.

There was a chirp from the door, and since it was Stark who were about to enter the Ready Room, Jien rose up from his chair and changed... into her female form. It was a silent accord between them, because of what had happened on Niga. When the sliding doors parted, Jien offered the young woman a small smile - standing next to her desk. "Stark, welcome, have a seat. There is much to discuss. Can I get you anything?"

Learning that she'd just had something from the replicator outside, Jien nodded and seated herself behind her desk. "As you are undoubtedly aware, I have just finished my meeting with Lieutenant Trent and the representative of the Bellerophon crew, Commander Hathev... and no, I did not misspoke," she said, not smiling any more, her addendum in clear reference towards Trent's new rank.

She did not open up for that topic of discussion, however, instead continuing with more pressing matters. With the ship being in the state that it was, she had no time for sentimentality. She knew that Trent had taken Stark under his wing and tried to groom her for the rank that had been thrust upon her. She could not afford to care, and she ultimately blamed herself for promoting Trent and giving him more responsibility than he could handle.

"Until I name a First and Second Officer, you will remain Acting First Officer of the Theurgy for the time being. If you feel like you are not ready to assume this temporary assignment, you may say so now, or I will expect you to live up to the role to the best of your capacity."

She paused only for Stark to answer, a quiet smile coming to her when seeing the reaction, before she continued. "Good. Unless you have assigned an Assistant Chief of Operations in my absence - after the loss of A'vura Zeshryr - you will do so immediately. This, so that you can unburden yourself for your new tasks," she said, folding her hands on her desk while she looked at Stark. "Before I tell you what will be done about the Bellerophon crew, I want to debrief you personally about the events relating to the Cayuga and the Asurians."

She raised a hand a little, forestalling the obvious answer. "I have already read the report. I want to hear your brief account about the development leading up to the Sword reintegrating with the Stallion before the third Rendezvous. Please explain why you decided that the Stallion could not go to the first two Rendezvous." Jien leaned back a little, her eyes remaining on the young woman. "To be clear, I am not questioning your judgement, I am just expecting to hear your reasoning behind these decisions."

Later, there would be time to talk about her martial arts training, and other topics.

Now, Jien had to sort out the mess of the three days past.

Re: EPIL:S [D06|1400] Opus Enim Conversationem

Reply #2 –
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Captain's Ready Room| Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Auctor Lucan 
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The female form of Captain Ives ushered Natalie into the Ready Room, and the brunette Ops Chief managed a smile back at her CO. She was privately glad to see that the unspoken arrangement continued, while at the same time, still privately upset with herself for needing that arrangement. I really should sit down with Ejek at some point, she reminded herself, yet again. The Cardassian counselor from the Resolve had done a more than fair job of backstopping Natalie as her first officer on the Stallion and as such, the woman had earned a bit of trust.

"No thank you, ma'am," Natalie said earnestly as she took the seat, in regards to the Captain's offer. Her eyes took in the other womans form, and decided that, at least physically, Jien Ives was recovering well. Natalie harbored a worry, as she did not know the specifics of the Captain's ordeal with the Savi. She had, however, read reports of others that had been returned to them, and they horrified her on a core level. Her concern for her CO was running somewhat on overdrive as a result. "I had something shortly before our meeting. I'll be fine.

It was good that Natalie was seated, for what came next. The officer had just finished arrainging her skirt, with her PADD balanced on one knee for ease of refernece, when Captain Ives clarified what she had been up to in her past two meetings. Natalie's head snapped up, and her blue eyes went wide when Ives stressed Carrigan Trent's new rank. Holy shit, the young woman thought, unpolitic thought it was. I figured a one rank demotion if Ives didn't see things Trent's way... It wasn't quite a physical blow to the woman, but she could not begin to imagine the weight of the decision that the Captain had been forced to make.

Not that Natalie was really given a chance to comment on this in any case. The female form of Ives plowed right on to the next subject of actual discussion and it was one that had been weighing on Natalie's mind - first officer. She was being asked if she felt herself able to continue on in that role, on a temporary basis.  Realistically, she knew that there were few other viable choices to step into the role in the short term. But Nat did not immediately respond.

Her face took on a look of deep concentration, and for a moment she looked away, peering a bit of bulkhead over the Captain's shoulders. Was she, in fact, able to take on the responsibilities. Naturally, the young woman was curious to see who would end up where. She felt that her time in command of the Stallion had given her a taste for something she hadn't realized she wanted. Crisis aside, as Anya Ziegler had pointed out, Nat had the makings of a Command Officer, with some proper seasoning. But she would be doing herself, and the Captain a disservice if she did not look at this objectively, and not just ambitiously.

"Yes ma'am, I am willing, and able," Natalie confirmed, after a moments silent reflection. Who would end up as First Officer, and Second Officer, and a myriad of other roles on the ship would be decided later. Right now, looking at Captain Ives, and meeting her gaze, Natalie decided that the simple point was her Captain needed her. "Until you see fit otherwise, I'm ready to help."

The answer seemed to satisfy the Captain, which brought a hint of color to Natalie's cheeks. With so much going on, it was pleasing all the same to live up to the Captain's expectations, and not let them down. She sat up a bit straighter in the seat as Ives moved on, bringing up the subject of a need for a new Assistant Chief of Operations. Her old role, and one she had handed off to the young Orion officer from the Resolve. A ghost of a remorse passed over the brunette's face. She'd not gotten to know her subordinate as well as she would have liked, and was privately saddened that her loss had happened just before the vectors had been reunited. Once again, she had to wonder, If only we'd been there faster.

Then there was the matter of the replacement itself. A frown creased Natalie's forehead. She had not made the decision final, but there really wasn't much of one to make. There was one clear choice for the role. That she butted heads with the choice was perhaps beside the point. Her commanding officer saw fit to leave the choice to her, but was stressing that the decision needed to be made, today. She tapped out a little note on her PADD to inform the lucky soul of the decision.

Captain Ives again moved swiftly, however, raising another matter for discussion. Perhaps the matter of discussion and for the moment all thoughts of selecting an Assistant Chief of her department, and informing the Captain, were pushed aside.

Natalie had known this was coming , and was cut off before she could point out that she had already submitted a detailed report. Jien had read the report already, it seemed. She wanted to hear from Natalie. Well, so be it.  That she was not being put on trial for her actions was something of a relief in the wake of the news of Trent's two-grade demotion. Still...

"I've certainly had cause to question my own judgement, Captain, at least in how I approached the situation with the Cayuga," she confessed, recalling a heated conversation with Captain Ziegler. She could still feel the cracking sting of Anya's hand across her cheek, and though she was unaware, her jaw jutted out to the side for a moment, an attempt to relive herself of the phantom pain there.

"Not the choice to answer the distress call." she clarified, sounding more confident there, though her tone slipped after, as she added, "But the manner in which we went about it. The subterfuge.

"In hindsight, that was wasted time and effort." She let out a low sigh at the confession. "The distress call. From the moment we intercepted it there was no way I could justify not answering sir. The duty to the mission is important but," at this point she looked up to Captain Ives and met her gaze. "We are still Starfleet Officers. We may be the only ones that know the truth of the infestation of Command and what that means, but at the same time, we - I - could not live with myself if I simply turned away. I had to hope against hope that the enemy would not use the false flag of a Borg attack to lure us in. And...well, we tried to take precautions, to hide our identity. To help, without revealing that we were part of the Theurgy." She went on to briefly describe the measures taken. The holographic meeting room, the digital disguise of Ens. Mariner, and the false signature they displayed, coupled with the interference of the nebula itself.

"The final decisions however lay in the assault by the Asurians. They were our responsibility, and the Cayuga got caught in the cross fire. By that point the secret was out and Captain Ziegler knew well who we were. I'm not sure if she got a chance to communicate it to you, but she had some...choice words to say about what I'd done." That she had some choice words about how Captain Ives had been running the show, the more junior officer in the room decided was best tactfully not said.

"The Asurian assault hollowed out what was left of the Cayuga's crew in the aftermath of the Borg attack. To leave them, at that point....it would have been signing their death warrant's. Inhumane, Captain." Again, she looked up at Ives, and met her eyes. Her back straightened up. She was more than willing to take ownership of this choice. "I couldn't call myself a Starfleet Officer if I made that decision. We might not have been able to meet up with the other vectors. But I don't think any of us would have been able to live with ourselves if we left the Cayuga at that point."

Re: EPIL:S [D06|1400] Opus Enim Conversationem

Reply #3 –
[ Captain Ives | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] @Brutus
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When Stark was finished with her explanation, Jien nodded slowly. It was exactly what she had expected her to say.

"And just as we bore the responsibility for antagonising the Asurians," said Jien, rising to her feet, "leading to the decimation of Ziegler's crew... so do we bear responsibility for the unnecessary destruction of the Bellerophon."

As Jien stepped away, she folded her arms underneath her chest, looking out through the viewport. "I know you were not on that Vector, and you've likely just read the tactical reports. It seems like there have been some kind of ambiguity towards the outcome, where I find none. The Helmet could have left the Rendezvous zone immediately, leaving an encrypted message for the Ranger if it arrived. Better yet the Helmet could have led the Archeron and it's fleet away from the area so that you did not drop out of warp right in it's fist. Instead, emotionally compromised as Trent was, he opted to stay, and it led to the Bellerophon being destroyed, along with thirty souls lost among our own crew. Trent admitted that he'd try to free us who were abducted with or without the Ranger, to me as well as Commander Dewitt, the latter who did the right thing in removing him from command. It seems the ambiguity about the situation stem from the timing forced upon her in doing so."

Looking out the viewport, Jien continued to explain what she'd said to Trent, the gist of it being that his integrity was not worth the Infested roaming the Galaxy unopposed. Of course Dewitt should have removed him from command, because if not the first battle with the Versant had been a clear enough indicator, the battle with the Borg cube should have told him that the Theurgy would have been destroyed if he made such an attempt.

"This ambiguity needs to stop," she said, and turned towards Stark, her frown splitting her brow. "I will not have the Bellerophon crew locked up in cargo bays because we erred. I have spoken at length with Commander Hathev - their representative - and they will be given access to the public areas of this ship. They are to be our guests until they prove themselves unable to remain at peace with such an arrangement. This means an increased deployment of security around our secured areas on the ship. It means that they all are to be given quarters as according to their rank. It means that they will retain access to our tactical logs so that they can look at the past 5 months with new eyes. It means that we are to be open for further talks with them, and not reject them if they see Starfleet Command for what it has become. Soon enough, they will see the truth as we see it. It is only a matter of time, and precautions in the interim."

Jien stepped back towards the desk. "Trent's position aboard is yet to be decided, relieved of duty as he is for the time being. I do not choose to slander his name for his personal shortcomings, however lamentable they are. Hearsay spread at warp speed on this ship, causing further questions, but I will try to quell the whispers." Standing next to the desk, Jien put her hand on the desk. "Therefore whatever the crew may think, my official statement will stress how we must uphold the principles of Starfleet and not use excessive force where conflict can be avoided. We cannot become desensitised by the violence we've had to resort to in order to protect the truth. If we loose what we are before the war is won, then we've already lost. This is what Starfleet is, and anyone who think differently - who entertain a notion that we may behave like the renegades that Command makes us out to be - they are all free to speak with me. Is that clear?"

Pausing to hear her answer, Jien then seated herself, taking a breath. "As I said to Commander Hathev, that golden pip I took from Trent will not compensate for the losses of the Bellerophon or the families of all the dead. I will, however, take every precaution that this ship isn't responsible for any more losses than we've already caused when we fled from Federation space." She raised her eyes from the desk, looking Stark square in the eye. "Any questions?"

Re: EPIL:S [D06|1400] Opus Enim Conversationem

Reply #4 –
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Captain's Ready Room| Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Auctor Lucan 
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The Captain spoke, and there was a sense of relief that seeped into Natalie's bones as she heard her. While the topic ahead was a grim one, Natalie could tell that, on the whole, Jien Ives as not disappointed in her, for her actions taken while in command of the Stallion, and in defense of the Cayuga. Just as Natalie had deemed herself responsible for the damage inflicted by the Asurians, and that she had a greater duty to help the Cayuga, so too it seemed that Captain Ives equated that choice to what lay before them with the Bellerophon survivors.

If nothing else it meant that on the whole, she and her captain were on the same page. Thus reassured, she leaned forward as Captain Ives moved to stare out the window. She took in the woman's form, reading tension there. Anger. And an attempt to keep it in check. Natalie almost quaked and retreated into herself, before coming to the realization that Captain Ives was not angry at her, but at the losses that had occurred. The needless death. The shifting of views of the crew. The...ambiguity as they put it.

Ives is venting, she thought, startled by the conclusion (right or wrong though it might be. There was every chance Natalie was projecting in that moment). She straightened back up and hid her surprise well, as the Captain turned back around. Thus, Natalie listened, dutifully, trying to reflect on what she was learning from the CO, and provide a sounding board. It was an awkward thing for her, but she did her best all the same, keeping her face neutral, and nodding in all the right places. It caused her to look at the situation from Ives view, instead of her own. Natalie's initial reaction had been to take Trent's side. Even after reading the tactical reports, she had been leaning toward him.

Commander Trent - Lieutenant Trent always said to make a decision ,any decisions, and that it was better than not. But...clearly there needs to be more reflection involved. Because that mantra did not serve him or the ship well. But...there cannot be too much dithering. Because if I follow this right...the Captain thinks that Dewitt should have acted sooner. She dithered too long? It was a lot for her to take in, and she knew she was going to have to learn from this. Learn from what Trent taught her, yes, but learn from how that failed him as well. There was bound to be something good to be learned from both. Perhaps making a decision - any decision - isn't that good a motto after all.

Not an easy conclusion to reach. But now Ives had turned her full attention back to Natalie, as she came to a succinct point, and leveled a question at the Acting First Officer.

"Crystal clear, ma'am," Natalie said, keeping her face calm and collected. This mirrored some of what Anya had said to her in private. About making sure they did not slip too far away in their flight. It was sound advice, and she was not going to argue with Ives. "Should anyone happen to express such an opinion in my presence, I will make sure to remind them of what you've said. I...doubt it will get to the point where they'll need a chat with you. Ma'am." Anyone stupid enough to press that issue and continue to express the view after being told off by Nat would....well, would probably need a stern talking to by the Captain, unfortunately. It'd be her job to make sure it didn't come to that, if only in the interim.

Sitting back in the chair, Natalie found herself nodding along in agreement with Ives words. Again, the parallels between what her captain was now saying and some of what Anya Ziegler had said served to reassure Natalie that they were stepping back onto the right path. There seemed to be some slipping, on all parts (herself included. It would be some time before she was able to forgive herself or the subterfuge that she had used when first encountering the Cayuga). Privately, Natalie vowed that she would do what she could to ensure that they stayed on this path. In whatever role she was asked to take on. It was a lofty promise, and one she found herself wondering if was perhaps a bit arrogant of her to take on. But she promised herself all the same.

"Actually, ma'am, there is a question," she said carefully, checking her notes on the PADD to confirm the intelligence she had. "And I'm asking in the interest of removing the ambiguity you just spoke of. I understand the measures that we need to take with the crew of the Bellerophon. They are, for better or worse, refugees of poor decisions made in the heat of battle, and an unquestionable tragedy. I'll make sure that every consideration and accomidation will be made as per your orders. My quartermaster will be busy, but they are up to the task

"However....." and here she hesitated for a moment, but then plowed on. It was better to ask for clarification now, when expressly given the chance, then to make an incorrect assumption, when given the nature of the concern. "In the same cargo bay there are currently twenty some officers from the USS Dauntless." This was going to be tricky, but Natalie felt she was on the right track, in broaching the subject.

"Unlike those under Commander Hathev's representation, the Dauntless personnel were expressly sent over to the Helmet to kill and in any other fashion subdue and disrupt this ship and her crew. At least," she held up her PADD now, "That's according to the after action reports. As you noted, I wasn't here for the actual conflict and all the choices made prior to the reintegration of all three vectors. And Captain Wenn did not see fit to include me in any of the after action reviews. He needed someone to keep the ship together and manage repairs." Just like you do, Captain. I wish I'd been a bit less resentful about that at the time, because it was - is - the right choice sh realized quietly. Again wondering if she had any right to any of this, and shoving that little doubt aside, she hurried to conclude the question.

"Are we to treat the Dauntless crew any different due to the nature of their presence, and the orders they were given before beaming over? Do they have a separate representative that we can meet with?"

Re: EPIL:S [D06|1400] Opus Enim Conversationem

Reply #5 –
[ Captain Ives | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] @Brutus
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Hearing Stark's questions, Jien sat still in her chair, having folded her hands on the desktop. She said naught until she'd finished putting forth her argument.

"Commander Hathev is representing those from the Dauntless as well, since they are all currently locked up together in the same cargo bay," she said, and then slowly leaned back - eyes remaining on Stark. "Do you know what the real difference is between those from the Bellerophon and the boarders from the Dauntless? You mention their orders in passing, but that is essentially all that there is. If the Bellerophon had the chance to send boarding parties before we destroyed it, we would be having this conversation about them instead."

It might be obvious, but Jien gestured while she continued to explain. "According to my reports, the Dauntless officers - aside from the Tactical CONN pilots that actively defected to our side - have been given the same access to our tactical logs and the recordings of Sonja Acreth, as well as the recorded briefing we held in the Fighter Bay when the Resolve crew came aboard. Therefore, they have had an equal opportunity to understand how there is more to the situation with the Theurgy than they first might think, and their logic will eventually reach the same conclusion as the others, that it's Starfleet Command that bears the blame."

Sighing faintly, Jien turned to look out the viewport where she sat. "The second difference is that we saved the lives of those from the Bellerophon. While we can't take credit for it since we destroyed their ship to begin with, we didn't save the lives of those from the Dauntless." She paused, before turning back to look at Stark. "I think you should speak with Thea and Deputy zh'Wann about making the arrangements, but my suggestion is that their movements will be kept under hidden surveillance with our internal sensors, but that goes for both the crews, not just from the Dauntless. Changes to this surveillance will have to be evaluated on a day-to-day basis, and perhaps even revises on an individual level depending on development."

Changing the subject, feeling like there ought to be no further questions about the precautionary measures until Stark had spoken with Ida, Jien addressed the current chain of command. "Next, I need all Department Heads, acting or not, to report their current personnel and task status. I know - for example - that Sten Covington regrettably did not survive the battle at the apertures, and that Chief Petty Officer Liam Herrold has taken over Covington's duties, which means that Mister Herrold is pulling double duties at the moment. I also know that we lost our Mistress-at-Arms, Ensign Ryan Sel, so I suggest you bring that up when you speak with Deputy zh'Wann. I need to know what gaps there are to fill, and if they have any candidates available. I want this ship to be back in operating order with a solid chain-of-command, preferably within 24 hours."

Jien paused there, seeing that there might have been a name that was brought up that Stark was more than familiar with...

Re: EPIL:S [D06|1400] Opus Enim Conversationem

Reply #6 –
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Captain's Ready Room| Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Auctor Lucan 
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In the end, Natalie was glad that she had asked the question. Perhaps it wasn't the answer she had expected, exactly, but it fit so well with everything else that Captain Ives had been saying, and allowed herself to be pleased by it. Without looking away from the captain, Natalie pulled up her 'To-Do-List' on the PADD, and tapped out a few more markers. She would schedule a few minutes with Deputy zh'Wann and go over the procedures to be put in place. "Yes Ma'am. I'll review this with her and get a working plan in order. I may at some point go down and meet with Commander Hathev as well. I'd like to get a personal feeling for the woman, and hear for myself the concerns of the survivors. If, as you say, they decide to join us, be it from either ship, I'll need a feel for them all and how to accommodate their needs."

Thus satisfied, the two women moved on again in the conversation. Natalie felt she was learning about about how to have a working meeting with a subordinate. She had a good grip on her department, having come up inside it, having served as Hendricks adjunct and then - after some gentle prodding about micro-management tendencies she had - having forced her self to learn to delegate on the fly with the rest of the Operations Staff. It would be trickier to apply that to other departments in the interim. She was the Chief of Ops still, but her new Assistant Chief was going to have a lot on their shoulders as she herself had to manage all the ships departments for the foreseeable future. A task she had unceremoniously dumped on Lt. Ejek's shoulders while she was in command of the Stallion. Fittingly, however, that was what the Captain wished to speak of.

Deftly, Natalie began to type up an additional bullet point on the aforementioned To-Do-List, which would later be expanded into a series of meetings - or maybe just one with all the acting heads of Department - when she registered what Ives said, and let out an audible gasp of shock.

Captain Ives, when she looked at Natalie, would have seen a woman trying to hide an expression of pain and loss and failing. Oh, she made the effort, and she kept things like tears at bay. But the Martian's eyes were no longer on her superior officer. Natalie was rapidly flipping through reports on her PADD until - yes, there it was.  She had been working through the backlog of casualty reports, and simply had not gotten there herself yet. Would that she had before this meeting, but the fallen had fallen and they were at peace now. Those left living had work to do, and Natalie had focused on tasks needed to keep the Theurgy working, so that no one else would die, rather than looking over the dead.

She had intended to give them the time they deserved later. And now that had bitten her.

"I...was going to have him over for breakfast tomorrow. To resume ....with everything that had been going on, it had been a while but, I would meet with Sten a few times a week. Get updates on the Fighter bay support crew and just...talk." It was so much more than that. Sten Covington had been a sounding board for Natalie since before she became the Chief of Operations for the Theurgy. The man was adapt at preparing meals, and the breakfasts with him had been a welcome sense of normalcy on an otherwise abnormal deployment.

Natalie knew he'd taken it upon himself to play the father figure role to the younger officer, something many chiefs and warrant officers did to promising officers half their age. A tradition as old as the roman Centurions, she was sure. And now he was gone. Dead. And she hadn't known. Oh, he would have forgiven her, she was sure. Business first, Covington would have said in that gruff voice with a smile. She did not doubt that he'd rather her focus on the living, than morning the dead. But all the same...

She sucked in a breath, swallowed and gave her Captain a wane smile. "Sorry ma'am. As you said...we have spots to fill. I'll have the updated proposals for you within 24 hours, as ordered." God did it hurt though.

Re: EPIL:S [D06|1400] Opus Enim Conversationem

Reply #7 –
[ Captain Ives | Captain's Ready Room | Deck 01 | USS Theurgy ] @Brutus
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Even in a time of post-crisis, with demands piled up around her, Jien wasn't made of stone.

She might have complete focus on restoring order on a ship lambasted by losses and critical damages. She might already have lists of her own to cut through with her tongue and presence. Tasks that would normally take more than a week to handle had to be sorted with deft care and with clear expectation of results. Just the security situation was daunting on it's own, with everything ranging from Devoted to Klingons in the brig or confined to quarters. She had traitors and mutineers, a deposed Commander and an El-Aurian strategist, refugees from the Endeavour and the Cayuga, countless weapons of different fabrication in circulation, with no telling who carried armament or not. On top of it all, Trent had seen it fit to break the Treaty of Alegeron, this time using a Reman cloak. And yet in the larger scope of things, it was actually the least of Ives' concerns at that time.

Though with all of this resting on Jien to resolve, it all bled away in seeing how Stark hadn't known about Sten, and she realised she'd just stabbed her heart so carelessly with her words. She took a deep breath, centering herself. She did not blink, she didn't have to. She didn't want to... for in the darkness behind her eyelids was Semathal.

What she did, was to pause her litany of orders, and speak to the young woman in the way she should. "My apologies," she said quietly, and had she been seated closer, Jien would have reached out to her. "I assumed you knew. It was not my intention to let you know in the way I did. I already knew the two of you had a rapport, but it didn't come to mind until now."

The topic of Covington did segue into a later point in the agenda she'd made for the meeting, so she brought that item up ahead of time.

"Above the Abroretum... below the lounge there, we have a terrace. It's largely unused, so I would like the bulkheads of that terrace to become a memorial for all those we've lost during our mission. All the names, since we fled Earth. No ranks. Mag-plates representing every one of them. I want no order set by department either... since all their souls are equal in our grief. We need such a place, so that we can remember... and move forward," she said quietly, and a small smile came to her, hoping to console Stark as best as she might after having dealt such shock upon her. "Set your people on it, and I will visit Covington's plate with you when it’s finished, and tell you about when he came aboard."

It was the least she could do for Stark, and for the crew as a whole.

Re: EPIL:S [D06|1400] Opus Enim Conversationem

Reply #8 –
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Captain's Ready Room| Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Auctor Lucan 
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She wouldn't cry. Not here, in the Ready Room. Not now with the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, not even in the presence of the sympathy and sorrow she could tell the Captain now had. Ives was allowing her to see it, because Nat needed it, and because this hurt. She swallowed and met her commanding officers gaze, saw the depths of what the other woman held back in side, and gave a jerking little shake of the head at the apology. "His name wasn't on the list when I first looked. Must not have been reported yet and...there is so much else to do. We have to keep the ship together so...so more don't." She didn't need to elaborate there, it was clear what she meant. The martian forced herself to keep a tremble out of her voice as she said what she needed to say to her Captain. "You didn't know. Its okay."

Natalie curled in a bit on herself as she listened now, to the proposal for a memroial over the Arboretum, and felt a watery smile of her own form. Natalie loved that section of the ship, and knew that it would need some repairs after everything that had happened in the recent battles. She didn't shut her eyes, but the young officer could picture it readily enough. While Sten might scoff at the idea of the two of them visiting a placard in his honor, on the whole she thought he would like the idea.

And true enough, a small, small part of her was very, intently curious to hear the story of how Sten first came to the Theurgy, from Ives viewpoint.

Thus, she gave a little nod of agreement. "Aye, ma'am. I'd like that. And ....I think the crew will appreciate this. It’s a ....a beautiful sentiment." Ideas flooded her head, and she knew she'd be bawling her eyes out later, in private. Right now she was obsessing over the design of the memorial. Did they want to use the same metal for all the plates, or vary it? Create a rainbow of colors, from materials representing each crewmembers home world?  Or keep it the same, silent and respectful, because they were all one crew. It was a distraction tactic to keep herself together, but so bet it. A worthy distraction.

"I'll detail a few officers to draw up the plans needed, and provide a timeline. I imagine there will be a lot of of folks volunteering for the duty." Natalie said in a tone that didn't sound quite so broken any more. She was pulling herself together for what needed to be done. Another smile graced her lips as she nodded to Captain Ives, grateful for the compassion, and the consideration of the crews needs, and ready to press on.

- FIN
 
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