The prophets Give a New Cradle

Posted on Tue Dec 22nd, 2015 @ 6:07am by Captain Landon Mabrade & Commander Ashe Rii'Na MD
Edited on on Tue Dec 22nd, 2015 @ 7:08pm

2,543 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Celebrate Culture

ON:

Rii'Na was resisting the urge to pace the rear section of the shuttle. The trip had been longer than she had originally expected, it had never been easy to be stuck in the back of a shuttle. She walked up to the cockpit, sneaking a look over the pilot's shoulder. Typhon was coming into view. Prophets! , what a sight.

She did not truly know why the Prophets had shown her this path lay ahead. Command felt a world away from Medicine but some of the same principles applied. Treat everyone as though they are truly important and take one thing at a time. Some things are signs of problems while others ARE problems.

The shuttle went through a smooth final approach and landed in the station's bay. Rii'Na thanked the pilot and stepped on out. She moved to claim her carry on belongings, to at least secure them off the shuttle. Still she had no clue where she was assigned for quarters or where her CO was. At least meeting him would solve other problems in turn.

"Computer, current location of CO Mabrade."

[Captain Landon Mabrade is in his Ready Room.] The computer replied

=^= Rii'Na to Mabrade; I am aboard the station, sir. Where do you wish to meet up for introductions? =^= Rii'Na looked around for a moment. =^= I'm starting to feel like a guided tour could be a good idea.=^= She smoothed out her skirt and rubbed at her right ear, setting the earring chain into motion.

The doors parted and a very large gentleman entered the Hangar deck ; he was what might be called lumbering towards her in a yeoman's rank pip. The man was easily two meters . He was approaching her and stiopped in front of her; his deep set eyes moved to meet her gaze comfortable.

"You are Rii'Na." Lurch said in his very low monotone voice that flowed like a slow brook. "Captain Mabrade is waiting, this way please."

"Yes, I am. Yeoman. Am I to leave my belongings here? I am not exactly sure of my room assignment yet." Rii'Na replied, taking in the Yeoman before her.

"Your - bags - will - be - at - your - cabin." Lurch nod to an OPS person. "Captain is waiting for you, sent me to guide."

"So I see, Mister.....I do like to be curteous and use a person's name."

"Lurch... ma-am." He said in his slow monotone.

"Ah, Mister Lurch. Thankyou. Mabrade is a busy man, no doubt; I am sure he is appreciative of your work." Rii'Na replied with a smile as she followed along.

Lurch noted the opening of the TUrbo Lift and blocked the sensor so that Rii'Na could enter before entering himself. "OPS." He told the turbo lift.

Rii'Na bowed to Lurch and moved on in. She adjusted her collar and checked her earring, fiddling with her hair clip last of all. All those nervous little presentation habits that a person goes through before meeting a commanding officer.

Lurch did not say anything until the doors opened and he took the lead to the Captain's Office. The doors parted and he stood aside to allow Rii'Na to come into view.

"Commander Rii'Na Sir." Lurch bowed and left the Ready Room.

"Commander Rii'Na." Mabrade came around his desk to meet her. "Please have a seat, make yourself comfortable." He leaned onto the edge of his desk. "I hope you had a pleasent flight?" He started. "It is good that you were open to being here on such short notice."


The 5'6 Rii'Na felt a little out of place around these larger men, Lurch and Mabrade. It would take a bit of getting used to but the Prophets had loved to put a challenge in front of her so far, so why not now. "Captain Mabrade, sir." Rii'Na said with a bow before taking the offered seat and tucking her heels under. "The flight was like most others, fairly smooth; not much to really take note of. A good pilot though." She let a sigh go at the comment about being open to a quick change. "When the Prophets call, like the wind we go where the call is. They certainly have had an impact on my life. I am pleased to be of service, Sir. "

She is an attractive woman Mabrade could not deny that for sure; she had an air about her that he could not quite put his finger upon what about her. She was Bajoran and her eyes held something like a fire in them, a friendly exterior yet somethiing about her was different.

"It gives me the impression you are up for new things that cross your path and adapt quickly?" He complemented. "I know it was short notice so you are appreciated by accepting the call."

"So, how formal or informal a command do you run? my last commander was a 'by the booker.' Made me feel uptight in my own uniform." Rii'Na queried, getting the most awkward of questions out of the way.

"I am more of an objective Commanding Officer." Mabrade said. "So long as the job is completed I am more open to my Command Staff to come forward with new angles on how to command this station and I am respecting the Office you are taking up. More to the point I know what you had to do to achieve the rank and position that you achieved. That is where I start my evaluation of your style and my expectations are based upon those facts." He had to look past the attractive fact she was wearing a skirted uniform that he had preferred a woman that was comfortable enough to be a woman even in fleet. "Your question is vague, I would like to think I am fair and rely upon my Command Staff to keep things going as we are a team that make things happen." He leaned back with his arm across his chest. "I hope that is what you wanted to know?"

"That helps for now. So, just what am I inheriting from my predecessor? Some leave the place a mess, others leave you the 'Bible' to follow. Kind of wondering just how 'in over my head' I'll be in the first week or two."

"No more than I am." Mabrade chuckled. "I have not been here very long and am still in a learning curve as to this station. I will presume that you are in the thick of it and way over your head for the beginning. Your predecessor was very much leaving a bit of a mess; he and I were a little head butting. So if you actually manage to work with me you wil be very much ahead of his impression. The Station was not left in a shambles but he left with haste so you are open to get things to work by your methods, it have to be built up on your efforts but no monumental mess to be be cleaned up."

"And what of our Second officer? Easy to get along with?" She asked, almost about to make notes.

"There is where your guess will be as good as mine." He chuckled again. "She is more inclined to be found in her office or on the Intel gifted Garrison ship. She is very dedicated to her job and does her duty without question so I appreciate her. She has a lot on the ball but I believe she needs to warm up to you and I before we really get close. What I will say is that she does her job and is supportive when asked and thinks ahead to make the operations easier."

"Sounds like we have some teething times ahead of us. Duly noted. I'll make sure to do introductions." She replied, making a mental note.

"Now let me ask you a question, what Kind of a Commanding Officer do you expect me to be?" He smiled. "I mean you have read my file and know that My style is more like the Klingon; I will accept input and this is a shared command until there has to be one person responsible; at that point, then when it all comes down to it I am the Commanding Officer and will make the decisions and accept rsponsibility for those decisions." He looked her in the eyes. "It is my Honor to command here and as such I would be remiss if I did not protect the lives under my command. But what impression are you under from what you have read?"

"A man of honour and tradition, a strong commander; not one to mince words, you watch over those under your command and reward loyalty. Compared to my other postings, things will be just fine." Rii'Na replied.

"Now the big question; how much of the regulations are you going to remined me of while I am making decisions?" He kept an expressionless face. "If I decide that I want to take one of the Saber Class Garrison Ships on a patrol because of Pirate activity, are you going to remind me the regulation and what danger I would be facing as the Commanding Officer?"

"I have found that 'captain's parogative' does get bandied about a bit. I would not keep you from exploring or kicking tail so long as the risks had been weighed and running the Command does not suffer." She looked down for a moment before looking to his eyes. "If duty was ever to suffer or the risk too high, I would suggest alternatives. Otherwise I would not be doing my job, I would hope that would go both ways. No-one can truly stay in the one spot for all time without getting at least one itch."

Mabrade leaned back a bit and looked her over; not hovering his gaze at her legs and focus more on her eyes for the majority of the conversation.

"Is there anything that I should know that you do not want me to know?" He said solemly. "Something that will not leave this office?"

Ashe rubbed at her right shoulder, right where it would meet her arm; autopilot taking over at the question being asked. "I doubt I would ever want to see another Cardassian Male for as long as I draw breath, but I think the Prophets are trying to teach me the benefits of forgiveness. One male decided the best way to not have me run away was to stab me clean through my shoulder." Rii'Na paused, rubbing at the spot and allowing for things to sink in for a minute.

"This was before I found Starfleet. So, naturally I have tried to put it behind me; even if the scar is still there, I can be around Cardassian females and feel fine. The moment I see a Cardassian male, no matter how controlled I am my blood still starts to boil; I really have to work hard to avoid them and wanting to deck any Cardassian male for the actions of one man. Not the nicest, I know; and certainly not the best thing for a command position, but it's a part of my past that I have to confront and deal with now that I'm in the command chain. Darkest 'Skeleton' in my closet; probably something to be aware of even if I would not like it to be known."

"We all have darkness in our background." Mabrade said softly. "It is nothing that will leave the confines of this." He tapped hsi head. "As humans say I am pig headed so no one will be getting out out of me."

"Do you mind if I bounce that question back at you? I guess it would give me an idea of just how comfortable you might be with having me as XO around here.." Ashe replied quietly.

"I fought a duel; it was over a woman naturally, she had some poor choices in her past." Mabrade chuckled. "Perhaps I was among them, but I won the duel. He was a powerful KIng of another Shire's kingdom. To pacify things I chose to leave; despite being an honorable fight it was best as I have older brohers to rule that I leave and keep more of a low profile. I came across with my name and a few bits to call my own and started over in building the Honor of my name again." He shook his head slightly. "I am more than aware that I shall never go back to my home and so..." He opened his arms in a presentation. "This is my KIngdom as much as it is. Here I command where on my world I might have ruled. I will never really know but am glad I have my Honorable name to stand tall."

"Looks like both our pasts have some interesting songs to sing. I know most other races use a person's first name as a point of familiarity. Bajorans are not as comfortable with this. I am willing to set that aside between us and Commander Adams, if you both believe that it will help us work better together. It's not something I've really done all that much, but your last question was right out of the comfort zone, but it was also a way of getting to know me at the same time."

"I am aware of the honor you give." Mabrade smiled. "But unless I earn the right for that by your customs I think Commander Rii'Na or Rii'Na will be good for the moment. "Captain or Mabrade until we do have that earned trust."

Rii'Na smiled. "I make a gesture to honour you and you do so in return. That shows the kind of man you are. until we are comfortable then, somehow I doubt that will take very long, Mabrade. Was there anything else you wished to ask of me? I feel I have a lot of exploring and settling in to do. I need to get a good look at the station; get familiar with it and it's people."

"You have OPS watch on the morrow, Beta shift." He smiled. "Nothing like throwing you into the fray. "I would offer to buy you dinner as an opening showing of faith; that is if you do not think me forward, I like to discuss whom we are in a more casual setting, no pressure of being on my 'Turf' and I know that the Ferengi woman's restaraunt is excellant. "It is called Kindness Place and if you are willing we meet say 1830 hours?"

"It most certainly beats the replicator. It is a kind offer and it's always nice to know who you are working with a little better. 1830 hours then and Beta shift will be interesting." She bowed to Landon as she got up.

Before she went out the door. "Be well Ashe." Mabrade commented as he was looking at the reports on his desk.

Ashe got a few steps away from the desk before she heard the last words. "And you, Landon. Until next we meet." She replied and was off to find her cabin assignment.


OFF


Captain Landon Mabrade
Commanding Officer


Commander Rii'Na Ashe
Executive Officer

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