Unity – Checking In with the XO
by Lieutenant Mathew Totti & Commander Karen Villiers
Post Details
Mathew had just completed his unpacking and decided he had had enough decorating for one day.
"Computer. Where is the Executive Officers Office?"
"Commander Karen Villier's Office is on Deck 12."
"Alrighty then Computer. When is the next free slot on her Schedule"
" 09 hundred hours. Do you wish to schedule an appointment?"
"Yes Computer."
"Scheduled."
---
One of the greatest differences, Karen reflected between running a starbase and running a department at Starfleet HQ was the number of comings and goings. Central offices, if one discounted the minor administrative staff tended to have a static population, unlike starbases where even the senior officers could best be described as transient - she wondered if she would get used to that.
"Case in point, Lieutenant Totti," she said, "Trill-betazoid hybrid, all round nice guy, and as a diplomat, hopefully blessed with the patience of a saint," something he was going to need given the range and influence of the alien factions installed on DS5, "Oh, and right on time," she added hearing the door chime.
"Enter," she said spinning her chair back to face the door and dropping the padd on the desk.
Before entering Mathew checked himself thoroughly but quickly.
"Shoes , pips , uniform. Alrighty then."
Mathew stepped in anxiously; he could feel the confidence radiating off the commander.
He was not sure to be more nervous or not.
"Have a seat, Lieutenant," Karen said with a wave of her hand. "Can I interest you in anything from the replicator before we start?" she asked, a tactic she also used when preparing witnesses, and defendants for trial.
Mathew sensed something unknown and was curious but sat down.
"Thank you Sir i've just eaten but a glass of water would be nice"
"Ma'am, last time I looked. Water it is. Ice?"
Mathew thought that was the funniest thing he had heard in a while and laughed.
"Yes Please Ma'am"
Karen replicated herself a mug of tea and as she returned to the desk she began to speak. "You've arrived at an interesting time in the station's history," she said placing the tray down and sitting. "A few hours later and you'd be stuck outside while we sort out the mess. I trust you've had a chance to read the initial reports?"
"The bombings?"
"Maquis, it seems. As out senior diplomat it falls to you to approach the consular staff on board. We have a Romulan, Klingon and Cardassian Embassy any of whom might begin to get a little tense while the station is under lockdown. I'd like you to introduce yourself and offer your assistance. At the same time see if you glean any possibilty of involvment. Back in the day all of those peoples had Maquis followers, they might just have found it convenient to look the other way about a plot."
"How they were able to get explosive material on the station?"
"We don't know that the embassies had anything to do with it. More likely one of the governments may have heard a rumour of Maquis activity and not thought it a threat, or heard a rumour and chose to let the threat go ahead as long as it did not impact on their own people. Alternatively there could be collusion, we simply don't know yet."
"Right so you'd like me to go meet and ask the Ambassadors if they know anything?"
"Be subtle. Relations with the other powers have not been helped by a rather heavy handed approach from the Federation - I'm looking to you to repair some of that damage."
"Indeed. Thank you Commander; I will set up meetings by the end of the day. And may I say it was a pleasure too meet you."
"You may. How was your journey, Lieutenant Totti? Did you have far to come?" she asked pleasantly, having met some of the Ambassadors, his was not going to be an easy task. "I hope in yesterday's chaos you found your quarters without trouble."
"We'll I was basically in transit at the Federation Diplomatic Corps. My ride."
Mathew laughed.
"Well a runabout is a runabout but it was great right up until I was docking then the explosions went off and I scraped your docking bay with my left nacell.
But the computer helped me to my Quarters."
"You were lucky, Lieutenant. Your runabout must have been one of the last to dock. Was it just you or did you have companions?" she enquired sipping her tea.
Mathew smiled. "It was just Me and a Runabout pilot. Nice fellow he was asking me a bit about the Ambassadorial Wings but I didn't have much to tell him."
"Have you had time to visit the diplomatic facilities? They're well appointed and state of the art. Between you and me, if you can get the ambassadors out of their own facilities you'll find your own the best place to entertain them."
"We'll yes I've visited ours and they are lovely. But I've only looked at the specs of the others."
"Beyond the basics the designs of the embassies are left largely to the occupants, lighting, configation etc though I suspect they've pushed well beyond the limits of what is allowed. Problem is, once they're in it becomes sovereign territory and there's nothing we can do to check," Karen shrugged, "What did you say the name of your runabout was?"
"Hmm." Mathew tapped his hands on the desk. "Oh the Franklin"
Karen leaned forward and tapped for a moment at the console inlaid in her desk, a message asking security and intelligence to run a check on the pilot of the 'Franklin' - it did not hurt to be careful. "So, you have your first assignment, Lieutenant Totti," she said folding her hands on the edge of the desk.
Mathew sensed a hint of suspision but he kept playing the game and smiled. "Actually my third Mam, but so far my favourite I love it here." Mathew's face dropped. "Except for the bombings so far. But everyone i've encountered has been so friendly."
"I meant on this station, Lieutenant, I've read your file," Karen said, she did not allow her words to be misinterpreted.
"Oh. Yes it is my first assignment on the station," Mathew was kicking himself internally after that mistake.
"Don't worry," Karen said with a smile. "Was there anything you wanted to ask me?"
"Does that include all things including Off Duty?" Mathew innocently asked.
"Such as?" Karen asked.
He bit his lip playfully. "Perhaps you would like to have dinner with me sometime fill in the gaps of whats been happening?"
"Perhaps," Karen replied. "But for now you want to focus on those ambassadors, I don't have to tell you how difficult dignatries can be."
Mathew sensed a spark of something and laughed. "I've dealt with some nasty ones before, the klingons are generally good but the Cardies and Romulans are the worst."
Am I the only person in Starfleet who doesn't have a Klingon fetish? Karen wondered, in her experience diplomats were all as bad as each other ... rather like lawyers some might say.
"Keep me informed," she said rising as someone knocked at the door.
OFF
Commander Karen Villiers
Executive Officer
&
Lieutenant Mathew Totti
C.D.O
by Lieutenant Mathew Totti & Commander Karen Villiers
Post Details
| Title | Checking In with the XO | |
| Mission | Unity | |
| Author(s) | Lieutenant Mathew Totti & Commander Karen Villiers | |
| Posted | Mon Feb 22, 2010 @ 5:34am | |
| Location | Executive Officer's Office | |
| Timeline | SD17 - 0900 hours |
"Computer. Where is the Executive Officers Office?"
"Commander Karen Villier's Office is on Deck 12."
"Alrighty then Computer. When is the next free slot on her Schedule"
" 09 hundred hours. Do you wish to schedule an appointment?"
"Yes Computer."
"Scheduled."
---
One of the greatest differences, Karen reflected between running a starbase and running a department at Starfleet HQ was the number of comings and goings. Central offices, if one discounted the minor administrative staff tended to have a static population, unlike starbases where even the senior officers could best be described as transient - she wondered if she would get used to that.
"Case in point, Lieutenant Totti," she said, "Trill-betazoid hybrid, all round nice guy, and as a diplomat, hopefully blessed with the patience of a saint," something he was going to need given the range and influence of the alien factions installed on DS5, "Oh, and right on time," she added hearing the door chime.
"Enter," she said spinning her chair back to face the door and dropping the padd on the desk.
Before entering Mathew checked himself thoroughly but quickly.
"Shoes , pips , uniform. Alrighty then."
Mathew stepped in anxiously; he could feel the confidence radiating off the commander.
He was not sure to be more nervous or not.
"Have a seat, Lieutenant," Karen said with a wave of her hand. "Can I interest you in anything from the replicator before we start?" she asked, a tactic she also used when preparing witnesses, and defendants for trial.
Mathew sensed something unknown and was curious but sat down.
"Thank you Sir i've just eaten but a glass of water would be nice"
"Ma'am, last time I looked. Water it is. Ice?"
Mathew thought that was the funniest thing he had heard in a while and laughed.
"Yes Please Ma'am"
Karen replicated herself a mug of tea and as she returned to the desk she began to speak. "You've arrived at an interesting time in the station's history," she said placing the tray down and sitting. "A few hours later and you'd be stuck outside while we sort out the mess. I trust you've had a chance to read the initial reports?"
"The bombings?"
"Maquis, it seems. As out senior diplomat it falls to you to approach the consular staff on board. We have a Romulan, Klingon and Cardassian Embassy any of whom might begin to get a little tense while the station is under lockdown. I'd like you to introduce yourself and offer your assistance. At the same time see if you glean any possibilty of involvment. Back in the day all of those peoples had Maquis followers, they might just have found it convenient to look the other way about a plot."
"How they were able to get explosive material on the station?"
"We don't know that the embassies had anything to do with it. More likely one of the governments may have heard a rumour of Maquis activity and not thought it a threat, or heard a rumour and chose to let the threat go ahead as long as it did not impact on their own people. Alternatively there could be collusion, we simply don't know yet."
"Right so you'd like me to go meet and ask the Ambassadors if they know anything?"
"Be subtle. Relations with the other powers have not been helped by a rather heavy handed approach from the Federation - I'm looking to you to repair some of that damage."
"Indeed. Thank you Commander; I will set up meetings by the end of the day. And may I say it was a pleasure too meet you."
"You may. How was your journey, Lieutenant Totti? Did you have far to come?" she asked pleasantly, having met some of the Ambassadors, his was not going to be an easy task. "I hope in yesterday's chaos you found your quarters without trouble."
"We'll I was basically in transit at the Federation Diplomatic Corps. My ride."
Mathew laughed.
"Well a runabout is a runabout but it was great right up until I was docking then the explosions went off and I scraped your docking bay with my left nacell.
But the computer helped me to my Quarters."
"You were lucky, Lieutenant. Your runabout must have been one of the last to dock. Was it just you or did you have companions?" she enquired sipping her tea.
Mathew smiled. "It was just Me and a Runabout pilot. Nice fellow he was asking me a bit about the Ambassadorial Wings but I didn't have much to tell him."
"Have you had time to visit the diplomatic facilities? They're well appointed and state of the art. Between you and me, if you can get the ambassadors out of their own facilities you'll find your own the best place to entertain them."
"We'll yes I've visited ours and they are lovely. But I've only looked at the specs of the others."
"Beyond the basics the designs of the embassies are left largely to the occupants, lighting, configation etc though I suspect they've pushed well beyond the limits of what is allowed. Problem is, once they're in it becomes sovereign territory and there's nothing we can do to check," Karen shrugged, "What did you say the name of your runabout was?"
"Hmm." Mathew tapped his hands on the desk. "Oh the Franklin"
Karen leaned forward and tapped for a moment at the console inlaid in her desk, a message asking security and intelligence to run a check on the pilot of the 'Franklin' - it did not hurt to be careful. "So, you have your first assignment, Lieutenant Totti," she said folding her hands on the edge of the desk.
Mathew sensed a hint of suspision but he kept playing the game and smiled. "Actually my third Mam, but so far my favourite I love it here." Mathew's face dropped. "Except for the bombings so far. But everyone i've encountered has been so friendly."
"I meant on this station, Lieutenant, I've read your file," Karen said, she did not allow her words to be misinterpreted.
"Oh. Yes it is my first assignment on the station," Mathew was kicking himself internally after that mistake.
"Don't worry," Karen said with a smile. "Was there anything you wanted to ask me?"
"Does that include all things including Off Duty?" Mathew innocently asked.
"Such as?" Karen asked.
He bit his lip playfully. "Perhaps you would like to have dinner with me sometime fill in the gaps of whats been happening?"
"Perhaps," Karen replied. "But for now you want to focus on those ambassadors, I don't have to tell you how difficult dignatries can be."
Mathew sensed a spark of something and laughed. "I've dealt with some nasty ones before, the klingons are generally good but the Cardies and Romulans are the worst."
Am I the only person in Starfleet who doesn't have a Klingon fetish? Karen wondered, in her experience diplomats were all as bad as each other ... rather like lawyers some might say.
"Keep me informed," she said rising as someone knocked at the door.
OFF
Commander Karen Villiers
Executive Officer
&
Lieutenant Mathew Totti
C.D.O