Star Trek: Theurgy

Day 20 [0930 hrs.] Joining The Ranks (Part 02)

February 25, 2020, 03:56:03 PM

[ Samala | Personal Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Top Hat
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Samala’s choice had been made. That was both the easy and the hard part of what she had considered doing. The decision-making process completed, now all she had to do was follow through with it. She knew who she needed to contact; Donna Petterson had told her that several days before hand when they had been aboard the Aldean watercraft. That had been before Lorad had asked to join the crew. She knew he had been considering it, thinking it was the way that he could help and protect his people the most. In his words, if whatever the Theurgy and her crew were fighting to stop destroyed everything, there would be no Remans left to save and bring to freedom. 

Samala had spent days chewing on that. She had spoken to many others of the ship’s crew about why they fought. She had spoken to the few Romulans that were on board to try and understand why they were present. She had even interacted with the ship’s A.I. Thea, and got her reasoning. That was strange enough, asking a computer’s opinion. But that had been her life of late. Strange. And now, she was hoping to make it normal as she hit the send button, requesting to speak with the Theurgy’s executive officer, a Commander Ranaan Ducote, regarding her joining the ship’s crew like her brother did.

She had questions and she needed to meet with him to get the answers.

Re: Day 20 [0930 hrs.] Joining The Ranks (Part 02)

Reply #1 – February 27, 2020, 06:46:05 PM

[ Cmdr Ranaan Ducote | Officers' Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

The XO was beginning to go cross-eyed. Today had been a particularly long one already, and he'd only been up since 0500. There was, he decided, simply not enough coffee in the galaxy to make sure he could get to the bottom of the week's paperwork; manifests, reports, inventories... and the damned Savi were already such a headache that he was regretting not fighting Ives harder about their involvement. He had been overruled when it came to having an in-the-flesh delegation aboard, though. There hadn't been a single way he'd found to get the captain to budge on that one.

However, he was still at 'operation normal' in most other regards, and he kept his schedule as clear as possible of classified meetings (or at least those that couldn't be ducked out of) - partially for his own sanity and partially because there were still, weeks on, dozens of people a day that requested his time or attention. While they were at dock like this, it had become his declared intent to be at as many people's disposal as required him. As introduction methods went, it seemed to be working tolerably well.

When his PADD pinged a meeting request, he relished the opportunity to get away from his desk (already strewn with Blue's tools and gadgetry) and immediately asked Thea where Samala was at that present time. Given that he'd been working in his quarters, his ready room reserved for other duties, it wasn't a million kilometres away to travel. He ignored the couple of pops in his spine as he straightened.

A couple of minutes later, he was thumbing the door chime to Samala's assigned berth, and tugging his tunic straight out of habit. When the door opened, he offered a polite smile.

"Good morning," he greeted, suppressing the impulse to clear his throat of the night's gravel until a more appropriate moment. "You wanted to see me - may I come in?"

Never hurt to meet someone on their home turf, was his usual reasoning. And it stopped him developing pressure sores from sitting on his ass all day, too.

Re: Day 20 [0930 hrs.] Joining The Ranks (Part 02)

Reply #2 – March 11, 2020, 12:09:47 AM

[ Samala | Personal Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Top Hat
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A return message. A notification of an appointment time. Maybe even a direct intercom through the ship’s communications system. Those were all the responses that Samala had considered when she had sent her message to the Executive Officer. So confident, that she had quickly gotten changed to head to one of the Theurgy’s gyms and was just tying her shoe when the door chime to the quarters she shared with her brother sounded. Figuring that it was someone looking for him.

“If you are after my brother, he isn’t here,” she said as she opened the door. The man who stood before her, Samala recognised immediately. It was Commander Ducote, the officer she had messaged only minutes earlier. “Uh, Commander. I wasn’t expecting you.” The polite greeting that was returned was followed up by a request to enter. Somewhat off kilter from the rapidity of events, Samala stepped back, granting entry. “Of course. Please.”

“I’m sorry,” Samala apologised as Commander Ducote entered the shared living area. “I wasn’t expecting a reply from you so soon. But yes, I did ask to meet with you,” she confirmed, glancing out the window at the void beyond as she gathered her thoughts quickly. 

“A friend told me that you were the officer to speak too regarding recruitment,” Samala explained, turning to focus on the officer. “That is, I would like to join the crew of the Theurgy. Officially.”

Re: Day 20 [0930 hrs.] Joining The Ranks (Part 02)

Reply #3 – March 19, 2020, 10:31:54 PM

[ Cmdr Ranaan Ducote | Officers' Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

Ducote smiled politely through Samala's confusion. He couldn't speak for what she might have expected given her past experience (of which he knew next to nothing) but he was hard-pressed to think of another commander who was attempting to do what he was with a crew this size. XO's who trended towards the more personal and personable weren't rare in the Fleet by any means, but there was an upper limit to its efficiency once a crew got above two or three hundred. With a thousand? In their unique situation?

Only time would tell, he supposed, and he suspected that once they were underway that circumstances would demand he change his routine. He was determined to enjoy it as long as he could.

"I'm sorry too, then - but I was nearby and I've got nothing waiting for me but another boring staff meeting in an hour or so," he half-joked. He clasped his hands together for a second, watching her reflection in the transparent aluminium of the porthole, while Samala collected herself. Ducote took the opportunity to 'tune' his empathy, though what he could get from a half-Romulan (and what he could get from one) was up for debate.

"A friend told me that you were the officer to speak to regarding recruitment. That is, I would like to join the crew of the Theurgy. Officially."

Some subconscious behavioural pattern asserted itself immediately, keeping his face neutral and preventing him from saying anything too quickly. Instead, he nodded, and gestured to the little table towards the corner of the room. He knew his own problems with Romulans were almost entirely irrational, given his experience on 147, but it was almost irritating to be aware of his reactionary racism and constantly feel as if he had to compensate - coupled with his habitual paranoia, it meant another worry that (the obviously cunning) Romulans could exploit.

But Samala was a Reman hybrid - he remembered that much of her file - and so could very well have as much cause to hate them as much as he did. Reserve judgement.

"Well, we certainly still have plenty of holes in the roster left to fill," he said as they sat, though declined to divulge where exactly the implied replacements were coming from. Anderson's involvement was known as something of an open secret among most of the officers, but limiting as far as practical the spread of that information still made sense in their current situation.

"But before we discuss your expertise... may I ask why? You have a prime opportunity to get out of here."

Re: Day 20 [0930 hrs.] Joining The Ranks (Part 02)

Reply #4 – April 06, 2020, 03:05:00 AM

[ Samala | Personal Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Top Hat
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The officer, Ducote, confirmed what Samala already knew; that the Theurgy had spaces to fill in its crew. However, she did catch the way he said it. They still had holes to fill. Which meant that they had been filling the gaps somehow. She hadn’t seen an abundance of Klingons aboard suddenly, so they were from the KDF. She supposed they could have been filled using those sympathetic from the ship they had destroyed the morning she had been awoken from stasis. The only remaining option was replacements from Starfleet, which, while possible, didn’t seem plausible given that the Theurgy was a declared renegade.

Still, she didn’t have too much time to consider the implications as Commander Ducote focused back on her. Samala had personally hoped to convince him with her skills and training; perhaps even revealing her telepathic abilities and her education in using them. What she hadn’t wanted to do, despite being warned by Donna that it would assuredly come up, was begin by discussing her motives for wanting to join the crew. And while she was steadfast in her decision, she could admit to herself that explaining why was far from a clear course. 

And the Commander had a good point; she did have a prime opportunity to leave the ship safely.

“But where would I go?” Samala responded after a moment of thought. “The Reman worlds that the Klingons have allowed them to settle? Or perhaps back to Romulan space to try and find another rebel cell?” Samala suggested. “Siding with Donatra is a waste of time as she would never trust me. Which leaves me with two options; setting out on my own or remaining aboard the ship,” she explained, pausing to consider her words.

“I have never been without my family and now, after Bacury III, my brother Lorad is all that I have left. And as I am sure that you are aware, he recently joined your crew,” Samala continued. “He explained his reasons to me, hoping that I would understand and I do, to a point. He wants to set an example for others of our kind. To show them that the Federation can be a home for us as well. And it’s a good reason. But I am not my brother,” the hybrid declared.

“And while I am sure that he has seen it, and understands it, Lorad, like myself, knows that whoever or whatever this enemy you face is, they either want to kill or control everything, everywhere!” Samala stated calmly. “And that includes my Reman brothers and sisters. So, by helping you, both my brother and I are helping them as well. Even if they might not ever see it.”

Re: Day 20 [0930 hrs.] Joining The Ranks (Part 02)

Reply #5 – April 22, 2020, 01:44:17 PM

[ Cmdr Ranaan Ducote | Officers' Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

Ducote hooked one knee over the other while Samala spoke. Her desire to go with her family, and protect those at home, made all too much sense to him. After all, a large part of his own reasons for staying aboard had been because the last of his officers (as far as he knew) from the Endeavour had elected to stay - not least of all his fiancée at the time. On the surface of it, she appeared to be genuine in her sentiment, too - at least as far as his empathy could be trusted on a hybrid whose personage and genealogy was unfamiliar to it.

And as she said, Lorad had already been accepted into the ship's company. It would be churlish to have his paperwork signed and then refuse his sister... and for what? Her Romulan half? He nearly shook his head at himself. Instead, he nodded, and pulled his PADD from his thigh pocket. He requested summaries of her files, as this wasn't the right time to read them in full, and also pulled up the Theurgy's roster.

"In that case, Samala," he said, looking back up at her, "where do we fit you in? What's your expertise?"

If she had the 'usual' upbringing a Reman hybrid might expect in the Star Empire, she'd be a natural fit for their Security section, and probably exo certification down the line. There was a note here about flight training, though... and God knew their TACConn ranks were thin still. Not for the first time, he wondered how feasible it was to throw the fragile fighters into capital battles, but he couldn't deny the pilots' bravery.

"Or at least, your preference," he belatedly added before she could respond. "I can guarantee we can find somewhere appropriate for you regardless."

Within reason, of course. He could hardly imagine a department head on the ship who'd be happy to be saddled with a recruit-grade 'helper' who required a complete suite of training when the ship so badly needed capable hands to pull together.

Re: Day 20 [0930 hrs.] Joining The Ranks (Part 02)

Reply #6 – May 03, 2020, 03:12:51 PM

[ Samala | Personal Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Top Hat
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The officer, Ducote, was a hard man for Samala to read as she sat there. It could have been easier if she had used her telepathy but that would have been against what she was taught. This wasn’t a case of survival; this was the effect of a choice that she had made and was now seeing through. So, she had to resort to her less honed skills at visually reading people. And Commander Ducote was well experienced at hiding his thoughts, given his rank and position.

“My expertise and preference?” Samala recited, thinking about how she should answer the question. She had read up on different roles within the ship and thought about which she might either enjoy the most or be best suited too. And she had thought about her prior training. The less that she had to learn, the more she could participate. She didn’t have her brother’s skills or, more importantly, his experience, but she was younger and more rounded in her education.

“If I had a choice, I’d like to fly the Apache for you. My ship might not be Starfleet but it’s tough, well-armed and, now that I have repaired it, fully capable. She can go places nothing else you have can,” Samala declared, her voice alive. “But, if I can’t fly the Apache for you, I’d still like to fly if I could. That is what I was training for before, well... before.”

Re: Day 20 [0930 hrs.] Joining The Ranks (Part 02)

Reply #7 – May 09, 2020, 11:51:04 PM

[ Cmdr Ranaan Ducote | Officers' Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

Ducote raised an eyebrow. It seemed with every passing day he discovered some new detail that he'd missed while he was trying to catch up. He knew that trying to keep up with a four-digit crew in its entirety was nothing but folly, but there were even big-ticket items like 'the ship's auxiliary craft inventory' that he still needed to get into his conscious collection.

"The Apache is yours? I confess I never asked," he admitted. "But alright..."

The XO tapped a few things into his PADD, reading the results. He knew there were definitely a few gaps in the squadron organisation chart, but as for where to put Samala specifically was probably not his call. He had always been in favour of letting the experts deal with their own area of  experience, whether he'd been in charge of the experts in question or under them.

"I'll put you in touch with Commander Ravon," Ducote informed her. "He'll get you situated - it'll be up to him whether you fly the Apache or one of our own fighters, and also where you fit within the pilots' hierarchy. There is the case that the Federation already thinks we're in league with the Romulan rebels, so it'll come down to how effective whichever craft in question is deemed to be as to which one you'll fly."

He made a note to copy in T'Less and Cameron too, as their flight ops work might need a heads-up regarding the Apache's capabilities. His black eyes flicked back to Samala's when he was done, a polite sort of openness on his face. "So: welcome to the crew, Samala. Was there anything else you needed from me while I'm here?"

Re: Day 20 [0930 hrs.] Joining The Ranks (Part 02)

Reply #8 – May 30, 2020, 03:57:42 PM

[ Samala | Personal Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Top Hat
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"Mine and my brother’s, yes,” Samala confirmed as the executive officer tapped away at his PADD. He seemed to be searching for something, given the way his hand was working, but Samala did not know what for. She could only hope that it was for something good. To her knowledge, she hadn’t threatened anyone since that nosey Romulan came poking around her ship uninvited. And she had dealt with that without harming anyone.

“I hadn’t considered that,” Samala realised when Ducote spoke of the consensus that the Theurgy was in league with Romulan rebels. She remembered seeing news reports from various sources during her journey on the Apache towards Klingon space. She had thought that it sounded too strange, after all, why stay within Federation space if the Romulan border was so close? She knew that the Romulans probably had several ways to sneak the ship across and into their territory. And if she and her brother were seen to be working with the Theurgy’s crew, well, that would confirm it for the quadrant at large.

“I see you point, sir,” Samala conceded casually. “I look forward to meeting the Commander.” She didn’t brag or bargain. She was confident that she could quickly learn to fly anything this ship possessed and would let her abilities do the talking for her. Though she did have one question that she was hesitant to ask but knew it needed to be. “I do have one question, Commander. Where would I fit in within the ship’s crew structure? Despite my training and abilities, I am forced to admit, I do not have my brother’s experience.”

Re: Day 20 [0930 hrs.] Joining The Ranks (Part 02)

Reply #9 – June 05, 2020, 05:53:11 PM

[ Cmdr Ranaan Ducote | Officers' Quarters | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] attn: @Stegro88

Samala was concise in her replies - something he appreciated in people in general. It left little room for obscurity, fewer words to hide behind. It also just generally saved time. Ducote tried not to think about the oft-interminable meetings with some of the wordier senior staff. Professionals and experts, all of them, but Santa Maria could some of them talk for hours and say nothing. The flipside was that with fewer words issued, it was easier to avoid slipping something that you didn't want to admit.

He muted that line of thought in his head before it could take further hold. It was still a conscious effort for him not to revolt at the sight of a Romulan. Half-Reman. She'd have every reason to hate them more than you do, he reminded himself. Again.

"I do have one question, Commander. Where would I fit in within the ship's crew structure? Despite my training and abilities, I am forced to admit, I do not have my brother's experience."

Her question brought him back to the present moment, and he stopped paging through the PADD as he added 'Samala - prospective pilot' to his agenda for his scheduled weekly one on one meeting with Ravon. Ducote nodded thoughtfully as he weighed the likelihoods, then met her eye once more. "That, I will leave up to Commander Ravon. He's going to be the one responsible for you, and how you fit into his cadre. I am generally very much inclined to take the word of a specialist in their area of expertise; he knows far more than I do about what can be expected of someone at a given level of proficiency and how much responsibility to give them. Chances are you will have to move out of here, though, depending on where you end up in the chain of command."

Ducote stood, straightening his tunic, and offered another polite nod, as well as his hand. "Mister Ravon will be in touch by the end of his duty rotation today. Welcome once again, Samala.

"Here's hoping you don't regret it."

~FIN