Beg, Steal or Borrow – Help is on the way... finally! #1
by Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Dorian Gabriel
Post Details
ON:
Dorian smiled to himself as he walked down the halls towards his office. With the Romulan Commander shipped off to the USS Freedom, he was no longer his problem. The Romulan threat had been taken care of and the Transwarp Drive was no longer in the hands of random pirates. His day would have begun with a perfect start if it wasn't for that damn staff meeting. Dorian grumbled at the 30 minutes of his life that had been sucked away and could never be returned to him.
Dorian sighed as he entered his office and saw the Padds on his desk. "Ugh . .shoot me now." He said aloud and picked up a Padd and gave it a cursory review. He did not have time for this and he was becoming more and more annoyed by the Padds' refusal to go away.
Yesterday Gabriel had spoken with Chris Morgans, the new head of 'Administration' and asked for an assistant to be assigned to sort out the hordes of padds and paperwork that clogged up the office all the time, self-replicating with every incident and every routine task. Morgans had made promises that Dorian was too cynical to actually believe, but only time would tell.
* * * * *
Ensign Alex Jackson was an experienced Administrative Assistant who had worked in the past for in all sorts of departments and for all sorts of Department Heads. The CV in front of the Administration Chief was one with much to recommend it. Academy credits and 'passed with honours' results, plenty of on-ship experience and a very recent transfer from the USS Sunderland due to a 'misunderstanding' with a fellow officer who had ended up in sickbay for 'undisclosed reasons'.
There had been a proviso attached from the dept head concerned that in Jackson's defense it was universally believed that it had been "extreme provocation" and all in all, this seemed the perfect solution to the current problem.
Anyone who could clearly defend themselves would do fine in Gabriel's office as it wouldn't be a place to assign any 'mice' types or staff whose character-profiles were categorized as being 'sensitive' or 'nervous', so Ensign Jackson appeared to be an opportune candidate, stumbling along at exactly the right moment (or the wrong one, depending on whose point of view).
Alex had received her orders and been introduced to Morgans at the same meeting and at 08.00 hrs the next morning, she found her way to Security to report for duty.
She had looked up Lt. Cmdr Gabriel's public profile the night before and other relevant pieces of 'research' before she started. It always helped to know something, however little, about where and who you were going to work. Everyone had 'heard' of Gabriel but it wasn't a good idea to listen to gossip or reputation.
~No time for grass to grow under your feet around here!~ she thought to herself as she walked in to the front reception and up to the Security Officer just sitting down at the desk having collected himself a coffee which was still in his hand as he took a long look at Alex with one slightly vulcan-looking eyebrow raised in apparent surprise.
Alex's cheeks coloured slightly but she stayed confident and calm. She was used to getting a long looks from men these days. She'd been born a bit of an ugly duckling but had blossomed into a full and generously curvaceous shape which was flattered by the fitted Starfleet uniform. Her heart-shaped face, long blonde hair, (the bundle of vivacious curls were worn clasped as firmly behind her head as such rebellious clouds could possibly *be* contained) and a pair of large, piercing baby-blue eyes, all added to the rather stunning first impression that she couldn't help but give. It was rather refreshing that this man, being part vulcan, only reacted very slightly to having her march in, took a good look around her and put down her padd as if she intended to stay a while.
Looking at the man's features, noting his rank from his collar and matching him to the staff profiles she had researched, Alex guessed this must be Lt Duquense.
"Lieutenant *duCane* I presume, Sir?" she was careful to pronounce his name correctly out of courtesy.
"Ensign Alex Jackson, assigned to Commander Gabriel." she identified herself helpfully. "He is expecting me".
Duquense smirked, mostly to himself as he observed the Ensign into the Security suite. He gave the poor girl one week at most to tolerate Gabriel's less than empathetic ways before she either killed him or transferred in order to avoid killing him. At least there'd be someone easy on the eyes to observe for the next week or so.
"One moment please," Duquense said as he pressed the comm unit. "Commander, an Ensign Jackson is here to see you." he said.
*COM* "Send her through" Gabriel replied.
"You can proceed through that main door ma'am," Duquense said with a smile
"Thanks" she responded with a winning smile and sailed through gracefully.
Gabriel remained seated as he continued to review a padd in front of him concerning the results of the latest duty roster. In the back of his mind he was still annoyed if not shock that the J'naii had the audacity to challenge him in front of the entire senior staff, as if he was some lowly cadet. After his talk with her he knew that she would find away to make her opinion known in the future.
Gabriel looked up in mild surprise when he saw Ensign Jackson enter. Part of him wanted to contact Davies new Administrator and cuss him out for not following his instructions. He already had to deal with Cadet Perth in Intelligence, he didn't need to deal with another fresh-faced recruit.
"Can I help you?" Gabriel asked, hoping that the woman was lost and the real Jackson was on *HIS* way.
"Ensign Alexandra Jackson, reporting as ordered, Commander" she replied serenely. Recognizing Gabriel from his picture as well as having been told by Duquense. "Where would you like me to start?"
"I ordered for someone to handle the logistical affairs of the Security Department, not a secretary." Gabriel replied.
Alex was sorely tempted to take offence but she knew that would be a mistake. "With all due respect sir..... " it was the classic start to arguing with your superior officer and hopefully surviving the retaliation you knew would come back.
"I am NOT a secretary, and if I didn't know of your reputation as a wise and experienced officer, I might be fooled into thinking you were judging this book by its cover." the irony was subtle and not disrespectful.
"I'm officially an Administrator, a Coordinator and an Office Manager. I have worked in all kinds of departments and I can apply the expertise I have gained as a template to clear any log-jam in any Specialty, Sir. If you're open-minded enough to give me an opportunity, I can prove this to you." she argued calmly.
"Look, I do not have the time to train you on the various points of Security, obviously Morgans did not understand my original instructions to him." he stated.
"Sir, I believe Mister Morgans understood more fully than you realize, since it would appear to me that anyone he sent would be getting a tough job to do and a tough boss to impress" she was careful not to be challenging in her tone.
"I'm the best he has to fill *those* criteria and I don't need to be trained, I'll pick up what i need to know from the work. It's better to learn it by finding it all out for yourself, you remember it and understand it better that way." she planted her feet resolutely and looked him in the eye steadily.
When he did not immediately reply, she continued.
"Why not look at it this way, Sir, what do you have to lose? If you send me away none of this will get done." She gesticulated towards the pile of padds.
"Morgans could send you twenty people in succession and you could teach them all and still find yourself unhappy with the results. Who knows 'til you try them all out? I can assure you, I'm the toughest he has, and at least if *I* mess up you can say you told him so and then Mister Morgans will *have* to come down here and clean up himself!" she raised an eyebrow and her eyes sparkled with amusement at the thought.
Gabriel groaned inwardly and looked at the chronometer. He didn't have time for this and he had a "certain" Romulan to go visit.
"Look, I don't have time to argue with you. I have things to take care. Take Lieutenant Riley's office, he's dead and won't be using it anytime soon. I'll transfer the latest reports to your console and I expect them to be completed by the time I get back." Gabriel said as he stood up and grabbed his jacket.
"If you have any problems or concerns, I trust that you can figure out a solution without me having to hold your hand?" he asked.
"I'm sure your hands are already very full, Commander, as pleasant as the prospect of holding one of them might be." Alex ventured a tiny upturn of the corner of her cupid's-bow mouth.
"But don't worry" she hurried on more seriously before he could bawl her out for the inappropriate humor. "I'll be sure to keep myself well out of your way while I'm busy surprising you with how invaluable I shall prove to be." Her smile was confident, serene and warm and it lit up her eyes.
Gabriel simply mumbled as he walked out of the door.
A little disappointed, although not surprised given the reputation of the Commander, Alex shrugged off the rejection and got stuck straight into the work that appeared to have mounted up. ~I wonder how many days' worth *this* lot represents?~ she asked herself as she began to split the padds into piles, prioritizing them.
Before long, she was slightly startled to notice Lt. Duquense in the doorway, looking down at her as she sat cross-legged on the office floor, surrounded by piles of padds, one of which she had just been absorbed in reading.
Duquense smiled warmly as he leaned against the door's frame. "Try not to mind him too much. Gabriel tends to operate under the belief that there are those that represent a threat to the Federation, and there are those who don't. It makes you wonder what type of childhood one has to endure to possess such a cynical view of the galaxy. But alas, he's just a player in this massive performance we call life." Duquense added softly.
"Don't worry, you can do a lot of good here." He added with a smile as he went back to his desk.
"Thanks" was the simple but appreciative reply from Alex, who was glad of an sympathetic word after Gabriel's cold displeasure at having her there. "I'm going to make *sure* I do! I'm not one to be easily beaten into submission, sir" she smiled at Duquense returning to her work with a renewed enthusiasm and energy.
~I'll show *him*~ she thought to herself, still smarting over Dorian's dismissal of her abilities. ~not a secretary! ha! What *he* needs is a surgical implant of manners!~ grinning to herself at the mental image Alex made considerable progress through the mountains of padds.
Lt. Cmdr.
Dorian Gabriel
Chief of Security
Npc Lt. Duquense
played by Gabriel
Npc Ensign Alexia Jackson
Administrator
by Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Dorian Gabriel
Post Details
| Title | Help is on the way... finally! #1 | |
| Mission | Beg, Steal or Borrow | |
| Author(s) | Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Dorian Gabriel | |
| Posted | Tue Jul 07, 2009 @ 4:15am | |
| Location | Main Security | |
| Timeline | SD9 - 07.40 hrs |
Dorian smiled to himself as he walked down the halls towards his office. With the Romulan Commander shipped off to the USS Freedom, he was no longer his problem. The Romulan threat had been taken care of and the Transwarp Drive was no longer in the hands of random pirates. His day would have begun with a perfect start if it wasn't for that damn staff meeting. Dorian grumbled at the 30 minutes of his life that had been sucked away and could never be returned to him.
Dorian sighed as he entered his office and saw the Padds on his desk. "Ugh . .shoot me now." He said aloud and picked up a Padd and gave it a cursory review. He did not have time for this and he was becoming more and more annoyed by the Padds' refusal to go away.
Yesterday Gabriel had spoken with Chris Morgans, the new head of 'Administration' and asked for an assistant to be assigned to sort out the hordes of padds and paperwork that clogged up the office all the time, self-replicating with every incident and every routine task. Morgans had made promises that Dorian was too cynical to actually believe, but only time would tell.
* * * * *
Ensign Alex Jackson was an experienced Administrative Assistant who had worked in the past for in all sorts of departments and for all sorts of Department Heads. The CV in front of the Administration Chief was one with much to recommend it. Academy credits and 'passed with honours' results, plenty of on-ship experience and a very recent transfer from the USS Sunderland due to a 'misunderstanding' with a fellow officer who had ended up in sickbay for 'undisclosed reasons'.
There had been a proviso attached from the dept head concerned that in Jackson's defense it was universally believed that it had been "extreme provocation" and all in all, this seemed the perfect solution to the current problem.
Anyone who could clearly defend themselves would do fine in Gabriel's office as it wouldn't be a place to assign any 'mice' types or staff whose character-profiles were categorized as being 'sensitive' or 'nervous', so Ensign Jackson appeared to be an opportune candidate, stumbling along at exactly the right moment (or the wrong one, depending on whose point of view).
Alex had received her orders and been introduced to Morgans at the same meeting and at 08.00 hrs the next morning, she found her way to Security to report for duty.
She had looked up Lt. Cmdr Gabriel's public profile the night before and other relevant pieces of 'research' before she started. It always helped to know something, however little, about where and who you were going to work. Everyone had 'heard' of Gabriel but it wasn't a good idea to listen to gossip or reputation.
~No time for grass to grow under your feet around here!~ she thought to herself as she walked in to the front reception and up to the Security Officer just sitting down at the desk having collected himself a coffee which was still in his hand as he took a long look at Alex with one slightly vulcan-looking eyebrow raised in apparent surprise.
Alex's cheeks coloured slightly but she stayed confident and calm. She was used to getting a long looks from men these days. She'd been born a bit of an ugly duckling but had blossomed into a full and generously curvaceous shape which was flattered by the fitted Starfleet uniform. Her heart-shaped face, long blonde hair, (the bundle of vivacious curls were worn clasped as firmly behind her head as such rebellious clouds could possibly *be* contained) and a pair of large, piercing baby-blue eyes, all added to the rather stunning first impression that she couldn't help but give. It was rather refreshing that this man, being part vulcan, only reacted very slightly to having her march in, took a good look around her and put down her padd as if she intended to stay a while.
Looking at the man's features, noting his rank from his collar and matching him to the staff profiles she had researched, Alex guessed this must be Lt Duquense.
"Lieutenant *duCane* I presume, Sir?" she was careful to pronounce his name correctly out of courtesy.
"Ensign Alex Jackson, assigned to Commander Gabriel." she identified herself helpfully. "He is expecting me".
Duquense smirked, mostly to himself as he observed the Ensign into the Security suite. He gave the poor girl one week at most to tolerate Gabriel's less than empathetic ways before she either killed him or transferred in order to avoid killing him. At least there'd be someone easy on the eyes to observe for the next week or so.
"One moment please," Duquense said as he pressed the comm unit. "Commander, an Ensign Jackson is here to see you." he said.
*COM* "Send her through" Gabriel replied.
"You can proceed through that main door ma'am," Duquense said with a smile
"Thanks" she responded with a winning smile and sailed through gracefully.
Gabriel remained seated as he continued to review a padd in front of him concerning the results of the latest duty roster. In the back of his mind he was still annoyed if not shock that the J'naii had the audacity to challenge him in front of the entire senior staff, as if he was some lowly cadet. After his talk with her he knew that she would find away to make her opinion known in the future.
Gabriel looked up in mild surprise when he saw Ensign Jackson enter. Part of him wanted to contact Davies new Administrator and cuss him out for not following his instructions. He already had to deal with Cadet Perth in Intelligence, he didn't need to deal with another fresh-faced recruit.
"Can I help you?" Gabriel asked, hoping that the woman was lost and the real Jackson was on *HIS* way.
"Ensign Alexandra Jackson, reporting as ordered, Commander" she replied serenely. Recognizing Gabriel from his picture as well as having been told by Duquense. "Where would you like me to start?"
"I ordered for someone to handle the logistical affairs of the Security Department, not a secretary." Gabriel replied.
Alex was sorely tempted to take offence but she knew that would be a mistake. "With all due respect sir..... " it was the classic start to arguing with your superior officer and hopefully surviving the retaliation you knew would come back.
"I am NOT a secretary, and if I didn't know of your reputation as a wise and experienced officer, I might be fooled into thinking you were judging this book by its cover." the irony was subtle and not disrespectful.
"I'm officially an Administrator, a Coordinator and an Office Manager. I have worked in all kinds of departments and I can apply the expertise I have gained as a template to clear any log-jam in any Specialty, Sir. If you're open-minded enough to give me an opportunity, I can prove this to you." she argued calmly.
"Look, I do not have the time to train you on the various points of Security, obviously Morgans did not understand my original instructions to him." he stated.
"Sir, I believe Mister Morgans understood more fully than you realize, since it would appear to me that anyone he sent would be getting a tough job to do and a tough boss to impress" she was careful not to be challenging in her tone.
"I'm the best he has to fill *those* criteria and I don't need to be trained, I'll pick up what i need to know from the work. It's better to learn it by finding it all out for yourself, you remember it and understand it better that way." she planted her feet resolutely and looked him in the eye steadily.
When he did not immediately reply, she continued.
"Why not look at it this way, Sir, what do you have to lose? If you send me away none of this will get done." She gesticulated towards the pile of padds.
"Morgans could send you twenty people in succession and you could teach them all and still find yourself unhappy with the results. Who knows 'til you try them all out? I can assure you, I'm the toughest he has, and at least if *I* mess up you can say you told him so and then Mister Morgans will *have* to come down here and clean up himself!" she raised an eyebrow and her eyes sparkled with amusement at the thought.
Gabriel groaned inwardly and looked at the chronometer. He didn't have time for this and he had a "certain" Romulan to go visit.
"Look, I don't have time to argue with you. I have things to take care. Take Lieutenant Riley's office, he's dead and won't be using it anytime soon. I'll transfer the latest reports to your console and I expect them to be completed by the time I get back." Gabriel said as he stood up and grabbed his jacket.
"If you have any problems or concerns, I trust that you can figure out a solution without me having to hold your hand?" he asked.
"I'm sure your hands are already very full, Commander, as pleasant as the prospect of holding one of them might be." Alex ventured a tiny upturn of the corner of her cupid's-bow mouth.
"But don't worry" she hurried on more seriously before he could bawl her out for the inappropriate humor. "I'll be sure to keep myself well out of your way while I'm busy surprising you with how invaluable I shall prove to be." Her smile was confident, serene and warm and it lit up her eyes.
Gabriel simply mumbled as he walked out of the door.
A little disappointed, although not surprised given the reputation of the Commander, Alex shrugged off the rejection and got stuck straight into the work that appeared to have mounted up. ~I wonder how many days' worth *this* lot represents?~ she asked herself as she began to split the padds into piles, prioritizing them.
Before long, she was slightly startled to notice Lt. Duquense in the doorway, looking down at her as she sat cross-legged on the office floor, surrounded by piles of padds, one of which she had just been absorbed in reading.
Duquense smiled warmly as he leaned against the door's frame. "Try not to mind him too much. Gabriel tends to operate under the belief that there are those that represent a threat to the Federation, and there are those who don't. It makes you wonder what type of childhood one has to endure to possess such a cynical view of the galaxy. But alas, he's just a player in this massive performance we call life." Duquense added softly.
"Don't worry, you can do a lot of good here." He added with a smile as he went back to his desk.
"Thanks" was the simple but appreciative reply from Alex, who was glad of an sympathetic word after Gabriel's cold displeasure at having her there. "I'm going to make *sure* I do! I'm not one to be easily beaten into submission, sir" she smiled at Duquense returning to her work with a renewed enthusiasm and energy.
~I'll show *him*~ she thought to herself, still smarting over Dorian's dismissal of her abilities. ~not a secretary! ha! What *he* needs is a surgical implant of manners!~ grinning to herself at the mental image Alex made considerable progress through the mountains of padds.
Lt. Cmdr.
Dorian Gabriel
Chief of Security
Npc Lt. Duquense
played by Gabriel
Npc Ensign Alexia Jackson
Administrator