Punctuality and Honesty

Posted on Wed Aug 1st, 2012 @ 11:44am by Lieutenant Torin Drell & Captain Tobias Naros

Mission: Episode 1.0 - "Enduring Legacy"
Location: Captain's ready room, USS Yorktown
Timeline: MD 07, 1720 hours

ON: [[Ready Room, USS Yorktown, Mission Day 07, 1720 hours]]

Less than a half hour after his encounter with Eldred Skyler (PNPC), Torin found himself standing outside of the Captains ready room, steadying himself for the moment for which he had been preparing for the last week. He had thought during his leave of absence six years prior that being joined would grant him the steady confidence of previous lifetimes but as it had turned out, no amount of previous life experience was quite adequate enough to prevent anxiety when meeting one's new commanding officer. As if the situation itself were not challenging enough, this particular Captain was an El-Aurian, a man who's life experience exceeded all of the Drell's previous hosts combined. For a trill, that was downright intimidating.

After a deep breath Torin pressed the door chime and upon hearing the Captains voice strode in, "Lieutenant Torin Drell, your new Chief of Operations, reporting for duty, sir."

Tobias turned slowly from where he had been observing a passing shuttle through his ready room viewport to see the young Trill lieutenant in services gold now standing before his desk. "Please," he said, motioning to one of the open chairs, "have a seat."

"Thank you Captain," Torin replied before taking a seat in front of his new commanding officer's desk. Naros wasn't exactly what Torin had expected, while not young by any standards he didn't appear as old as he would have guessed, quite the contrary. There was something about the Captain's demeanor that conveyed youthfulness yet his eyes conveyed a deep wisdom, the wisdom that can only come with exceptional amounts of experience.

"I understand you've only just arrived aboard the Yorktown, Mister Drell," Tobias said as he moved to sit in his own chair behind the desk, "your punctuality is duly noted." He reached over to lift a new addition from the stack of PADDs directly next to his desktop display and glanced over it briefly before placing it on the desk before him. What with the ever-changing status of personnel and supplies coming to and going from the Yorktown, Tobias had only just received the lieutenant's service record. "It says here you've just finished a tour aboard the Majestic," the El-Aurian observed, "before requesting assignment to the Yorktown. May I ask what your particular interest in this assignment was?"

"Of course," Torin replied respectfully. "It was a simple choice really, I think most Engineering or Operations Officers in my position would jump at the chance to serve aboard a vessel such as this. But on another level, I have always longed to serve aboard an explorer. Not just a science vessel, like the Majestic, but a true Explorer with full diplomatic facilities. If I may be so bold, history is made aboard ships like this one, I want to be a part of that."

Tobias surveyed the lieutenant over his folded hands. There was no doubt in his mind the young Trill's response was honest and to-the-point, albeit perhaps a bit bolder than one might usually expect. A rather hasty skim-reading of Drell's service record had not indicated any points of immediate concern which meant Tobias' primary interest at this point was simply to gauge the lieutenant's demeanor. "Punctual and honest," Tobias said with a small smile, "You really must be careful not to show your entire hand on the first visit. I might start expecting great things from you."

"I would hope so, Sir," Torin replied with a slight smile of his own. He wanted Naros to know that he was an asset but also not just another officer bucking for a promotion. "I've never been much of a gambler, as the Humans say, I usually don't 'hold my cards close to my chest'. You can rely on my being forthcoming."

In some ways, Lieutenant Drell was not all that unlike most officers his age. He seemed well aware of the Yorktown's legacy or at least expected as much from a one of Starfleet's newest starships. The fact he could articulate those expectations and define their limits in practical terms was equally respectable. "Sounds as if you've come to the right place, lieutenant," Tobias told him, "and if you don't mind my asking, what do you think of the Yorktown thus far?"

"I don't think I have seen enough of her to have developed a true appreciation but I must say," Torin glanced about the room, as much at the architecture of the ship's cabins as the room's adornment. "It's very impressive sir. I am very much looking forward to getting to work, I suspect that running Operations aboard a Legacy class will be quite an experience."

"Of course," Tobias said with a slight tilt of his head, "I would encourage you to take advantage of the time to settle in and even though things are pretty busy around here at the moment, please let me know if there is anything you need."

"I will," Torin replied, somewhat surprised that the meeting was at an end. Then again, there was only so much to be said upon first meeting and the Captain was surely a busy man. "Thank you Captain."

Tobias stood as the lieutenant rose from his seat and extended a welcoming hand toward the young Trill. "The pleasure is all mine, Mister Drell," he said, "I look forward to seeing what you bring to the Yorktown."

"I won't let you down sir," Torin replied with a confidence that even had him a little inwardly surprised.

Their brief meeting had run its course and although Tobias had been through many such meetings with new personnel in his time, especially in the last several days, each one stood out uniquely in his mind. There was certainly more to this young man than what met the eye. "Dismissed, lieutenant," Tobias told him.

Upon being dismissed Torin nodded respectfully and departed the Captain's ready room with a renewed sense of purpose. It was official, he was a member of the esteemed crew of the USS Yorktown and had all the universe laid out before him. He couldn't help but smile as he entered the turbolift, he had never felt quite so pleased to be where he was. He only hoped that his department was as happy to have him as their head as he was to be there.

OFF

A Joint Mission Post by:

Captain Tobias Naros
Commanding Officer
USS Yorktown

and

Lieutenant Torin Drell
Chief Operations Officer
USS Yorktown