S2 M3: The Okekai

[Kyle Briggs]

Main Engineering

Solluk watched his former department head depart with a sense of fondness as the man proceeded to the bridge to resume his duties.

Then, with a sense of trepidation, Solluk went into Engineering proper, seeking out the person in charge.   When he finally laid eyes on the man, an unexpected spark of recognition ignited in his brain.

"Captain Briggs-!"

It already seemed like a lifetime ago since Solluk had served on the Discovery, even though it had only been about a year.   He recalled that Briggs had taken command of the ship at about the same time Solluk had been transferred off.  It was a surprise to find Briggs now in the Engine room of the Tempest, Commander's pips on his yellow collar.

"Um... Commander.  Apologies.  I don't know if you remember me, but I briefly served under you on the Discovery..."  Suddenly concerned that he'd made a faux pas by pointing out the man's change of status, Solluk grasped for something that might smooth over the moment.  "Um... I have heard that your... Wee Barn... is Bonny."

Swallowing, Solluk decided to start over, "Acting Junior Lieutenant Solluk, Sir.  I'm beginning second-shift supervisory duty tomorrow, and thought I should introduce myself to the new Chief Engineer."

Kyle stood as the Lieutenant he saw earlier entered and called his name.

"Mister Solluk." he said as he offered the Vulcan hand greeting. "Of course I remember you. It's great to see you again. I was just reading your file. I see you've transferred to Engineering. It's great to having you with us. And as my second in charge. I couldn't ask for a better person."

He smiled at the Vulcans attempt at small talk about Elijah. "And yes. My son is bonny. Thank you." He motioned for Solluk to have a seat. "So what made you decide to switch departments?" he asked.

[Julia Rellek]

[Bridge]

Julia stepped from her ready room and onto the bridge. It was unusually quiet. She took a rare moment and took it in. The senior staff was mostly away from the bridge and just a few junior officers manned the various stations. She gazed around the bridge and found herself examining everything in her life that had brought her to this moment. All of the controversy early in her career that set this path in motion. She was far from the research station that she had once hoped to run. Far from the groundbreaking science she had dreamed of early in her career, however, in a way she found that she had come full circle. From the discovery of micro universes to exploring the depths of an aquatic world, she was slowly coming to the realization that she was on the forefront of scientific exploration. It was just not in the manner she had originally intended.

"An aquatic planet?" She pondered under her breathe. With a small grin she sat in her chair and returned her focus to the work in front of her and her team. A new Chief Engineering officer was aboard and she hadn't had much of a chance to connect with him.

Rellek to Commander Briggs. Please report to the bridge at your earliest convenience. Take you time settling in with your team, just pop in whenever you have a few moments."=/\=

She then shifted her focus to the upcoming mission. "Bridge to Chief Rylu. Can i get a status report on our preparations for the research portion of our mission. I received specifications from Starfleet Corpse of Engineers detailing how we can adapt a type 9 shuttle for underwater use. I plan to speak to engineering about that."=/\=     

[Solluk]

Main Engineering

Upon Briggs' invitation, Solluk sat, glad that he hadn't butchered his initial greeting irreparably.  The man seemed amiable enough, and claimed to remember him, which was a bonus.

"Well, Sir, the story behind such a drastic career change is much less remarkable than such stories typically warrant.  I was never a particularly gifted student on Vulcan.  Of the few diverting career paths open to me, becoming a pilot seemed to be the pinnacle path to which I could aspire.  When I joined Starfleet, it seemed natural to stay within that proverbial wheelhouse.  And if my superiors are to be believed, I have a talent for small craft piloting."

He pursed his lips briefly.  "However, as you know, pilots are expected to have basic knowledge of craft maintenance in the event that repairs become necessary in the field.  During one of my regular rounds of diagnostic and parts replacement practice, some of the flight deck maintenance crew complimented me on my work.  This gave me the impression that I might have short-changed myself when narrowing my career focus.  My friends and superiors on the Tempest were also very supportive of me, making me feel that I might aspire to things outside the box I'd assigned myself."

He lifted his hands to punctuate what he was saying, "It began simply enough, with a trip back to the Academy to take extension courses.   My grades were higher than I expected.  Not stellar.  Not by a wide margin.  But better.  Math, which had been a particular challenge for me in the past, seemed to gradually open to me.  I sometimes wonder if the damage I sustained to my brain caused other areas to develop in new ways.  Alternatively, a supportive environment may have dissolved psychological barriers.  I can't be sure what it was.  Perhaps both.  But once I realized that I could reach things further away, it made sense to keep grasping for them."

"And so... I've just taken my Officer's Exam.  With luck, a passing grade may make my rank permanent.  And Engineering is universally a hub of activity.  A better place to forward my career than in small craft piloting.  These career ambitions are new to me, but I am enjoying the feeling of wanting more than I have."

Solluk suddenly felt that he had rambled on quite a bit longer than was necessary to answer the question.  Briggs was his department head, not his counselor.  Plus, it was polite for conversations to involve informative disclosures from more than one party.

"If I may be so bold, Sir... I wonder what path took you from the Discovery to the Tempest?  Though my experience of your leadership was brief, I fully expected to see you continue in starship command for the forseeable future."

At that moment, a communications came through:

"Rellek to Commander Briggs. Please report to the bridge at your earliest convenience. Take you time settling in with your team, just pop in whenever you have a few moments."

[Naga Rylu]

[Bridge]

Julia stepped from her ready room and onto the bridge. It was unusually quiet. She took a rare moment and took it in. The senior staff was mostly away from the bridge and just a few junior officers manned the various stations. She gazed around the bridge and found herself examining everything in her life that had brought her to this moment. All of the controversy early in her career that set this path in motion. She was far from the research station that she had once hoped to run. Far from the groundbreaking science she had dreamed of early in her career, however, in a way she found that she had come full circle. From the discovery of micro universes to exploring the depths of an aquatic world, she was slowly coming to the realization that she was on the forefront of scientific exploration. It was just not in the manner she had originally intended.

"An aquatic planet?" She pondered under her breathe. With a small grin she sat in her chair and returned her focus to the work in front of her and her team. A new Chief Engineering officer was aboard and she hadn't had much of a chance to connect with him.

Rellek to Commander Briggs. Please report to the bridge at your earliest convenience. Take you time settling in with your team, just pop in whenever you have a few moments."=/\=

She then shifted her focus to the upcoming mission. "Bridge to Chief Rylu. Can i get a status report on our preparations for the research portion of our mission. I received specifications from Starfleet Corpse of Engineers detailing how we can adapt a type 9 shuttle for underwater use. I plan to speak to engineering about that."=/\=

[Science Bay, Deck C. (Side note; Ensign Franklin is starting a betting pool on how many bruised shins and thighs will be tallied tomorrow among Science Personnel.  Don't let the Chief know, she might feel bad.)]

"Aye, Captain." Naga said through her badge as she compiled everything she had so far, before heading out of the lab.  The thing she was looking forward to the most, was getting a guide of each species.  Nothing was more valuable than real-life experience.  She turned to Ensign Franklin, a human who was fairly good at his job, who was very intently working on something on his Padd.  No doubt he was enthusiastic about this job, something that pleased her.  "Ensign Franklin."  She said, tipping her head very slightly as he jumped and almost dropped the electronic device.  "I'm going to the bridge.  Please finish prepping the Otter-Dogs for transport and easy revival, I imagine that presenting them awake will have a better impact than in stasis or experiencing the aftereffects.  After that, make sure that you and Crewman DeWinter double-check your GP Field devices, as I'll be bringing the two of you along."

"Y-yes Ma'am!"  He said with a salute as he hurried off.  She hesitated before leaving the room, hissing of the hydraulic doors behind her.  She had thought that those in the Science department at least were less afraid of her by now.  Why had Franklin jumped like that?  Oh well.  He didn't go pale, so perhaps it wasn't fear.  Perhaps he had been so engrossed in his work, she'd merely startled him.

[Bridge]

She walked onto the bridge and immediately headed for the Captain, saluting her as she approached and showed her the list of preparations.  "I've gone through all the preliminary checks of the new gear, the requested imports, and I was thinking that DeWinter and Franklin could use the field experience.  Judging by how quickly they adapted to me, I would judge them as solid choices to come along, and I've included a list of several others I would appreciate you checking, Captain."  If she'd been a human, Naga would have been rocking on her heels.  As it was, she was Gorn, not human, and had no heels to rock back on.

[Kintiss]

[Sickbay]

Carnivore's lunch hour was coming up, and Kintiss was hungry. The door of Sickbay was calling him. He had to get out. There was only so much paperwork he could take. Endless medical reports, inventory records, new briefings from Starfleet Medical...it just didn't stop. It just kept piling up and up until it collapsed on him. Kintiss reckoned that it was beginning to take a toll on his sanity.

Bureaucracy was the greatest atrocity that any species could come up with.

Soon, he could take no more, and threw down his PADD and left Sickbay. It was almost relieving to get out of there. Maybe he was in need of a break, or perhaps some counseling.

[Mess Hall]

A relieved Kintiss stepped into the mess hall and cast a quick look around. Hopefully the person he was looking for was around here somewhere...Ah, there she was.

He didn't go over to her right away, pausing to get some lunch. Starfleet Medical's ethical protocols forbade him from eating live animals, but it was never difficult for him to procure fresh meat. He also grabbed a customary Raktajino, since he was running low on caffeine. Once he was sure he had enough food, he heading for Counselor Waters' table.

"Might I ssssit down?" he asked as he approached, giving her a friendly smile.

[Jada]

[Mess Hall]

Huh? After the encounter with Solluk in the corridor, Jada was left... well, puzzled. There were some words she'd had to look up on her universal translator (osculation?) and she was surprised not just by what he'd explained, but by the way in which he'd made brunch plans then scurried off like a frightened yotta'molla flower. Then she was irritated. And frustrated. After several months of heat cycles spent alone, and as many mixed messages, if he thought she was waiting another year, then he had another thing coming...

Returning to her quarters and changing (yeah, they'd probably need uniforms or Starfleet-issue dive-suits down on Okekai), Jada headed to the Mess Hall and ordered a raktajino before looking for a table. Then she saw her. A new face under long brown hair, reading a PADD, an ensign; Science or Medical judging by the teal uniform. And she was beautiful. (So, she was going both ways this month; it was good to have her options open.)

Jada meandered closer, about to ask something bland like "Is this seat taken?" or "May I sit down?" Then:

"Is this seat taken?"

"Might I ssssit down?"

Oh.

[Olivia Briggs]

[Briggs quarters, Deck Two]

Kyle checked his uniform in the mirror once more before heading out to the living room. He walked in and smiled when he saw Liv holding Elijah. They both looked like they were ready to start their day. He was all set for the daycare and Liv had taken a position in Ten Forward once again. Everything was perfect. It wasn't the CO spot or the Discovery but they were together and that's all that counted. He walked over and reached down for his little doppelganger.

"Let me see my little man a moment before I head out." he said as he lifted him up. Liv followed him as she stood. Kyle gave Elijah a hug and a kiss on his forehead before turning to his beautiful wife. "You sure you're ready to let him go?" he asked teasingly. He smiled again at her reply before bending down and kissing her and giving her a squeeze with his free arm. "I better get going. I need to meet my new staff." They hugged and kissed once more and he replaced the baby back in her arms. "I'll see you guys for dinner." He left their quarters and headed for Engineering. He entered the lift with memories of the last Galaxy he had served on rushing through his mind. It was great to be back on one once more. "Deck Thirty Two." he said. A few moments later, the doors parted and he headed down the corridor.

[Deck 2 - Briggs Quarters]

Seeing her husband emerge from the bedroom dressed in gold took Liv back to the time they had first met and how he had come to her rescue after a replicator malfunctioned leaving covered head to toe in ice tea. Smiling at the thought and at him as he walked over to them and reached for Elijah who was the absolute double of his father.

Getting up and enjoying the last few moments of it being the three of them as he kissed and hugged Elijah smiling at what he said knowing he was teasing " You know me too well" she replied before responding to his kiss, looking at him playfully as he squeezed her. " Have a good day and you will " she said after they shared another hug and kiss, Elijah fussing slightly when he was handed back but she managed to calm him the way she always did after Kyle had left and looked forward to hearing all about his first day in charge of Engineering.

Picking up the diaper bag she adjusted it on her shoulder and with a firm grasp on her son so he wouldn't fall left their quarters and headed for the turbolift to take her son to daycare.

[Ten Forward]

After dropping Elijah off, Olivia was happy to be leaving him in such great care and had immediately liked those who worked there especially when her son took a shining to a young trill named Jeessa and left him gurgling away on her lap. Then it was back into the turbolift to take her down to deck 10 and once the doors opened walked along and into Ten Forward.

She smiled seeing that the lounge was slightly busy and again she was reminded of her time on the Disco and made a mental note to contact Kinley once she was finished. Olivia then walked up to the main counter and went behind it introducing herself to the wait staff and then began going through the inventory to familiarise herself with the stock.

[James H. Hawk]

[XO's Office]

Since the Tempest's recent encounter with the lost Dominion fleet, James had been keeping a very close eye on the situation. Devs had sent him several updates and things hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped. Apparently, while Devs had been successful at convincing much of the fleet to join him in rejoining the faction of the Dominion loyal to Odo and the Great Link, Kokos'Ixun had returned to convince a large portion of the fleet to join him in joining the radical "True Dominion" or "Old Dominion" faction. The situation worried him. The New Dominion, led by Odo and the Great Link is mich weaker than it used to be. It controls far less territory and much of it suffers from ineffective leadership and infighting, despite Odo's best efforts. The True Dominion on the other hand is made up of fanatical revanchist soldiers. While they've been quiet and mostly kept to themselves, James worries that the smallest incident could spark a large scale war.

Fortunetly, however James didn't have to worry about all that as the Tempest was on a diplomatic mission to an aquatic planet called Okekai. It was sure to be a unique experience and he was glad to not have to worry about being shot. He was looking forward to it.

[Isabella Waters]

[Mess Hall]

Isabella, slightly lost in her own world slowly brought her attention to the group that had all now formed around her table. "Uh....there are plenty of seats for all of you. Please be my guests, I was just reading up on......" Izzy paused as she thought about how weird it would be to actually tell the crew 'Oh I was just reading on all of you and your various mental states'. "I was reading up on some work files. I'd be happy to have to company though. Dr. Kintiss I know you, but I don't know either of you." She said looking to the two other people. "I'm Dr. Isabella Winters, but you can call me Izzy, Isabella, or whatever really."

[Klizh]

[Mess Hall]

Isabella, slightly lost in her own world slowly brought her attention to the group that had all now formed around her table. "Uh....there are plenty of seats for all of you. Please be my guests, I was just reading up on......" Izzy paused as she thought about how weird it would be to actually tell the crew 'Oh I was just reading on all of you and your various mental states'. "I was reading up on some work files. I'd be happy to have to company though. Dr. Kintiss I know you, but I don't know either of you." She said looking to the two other people. "I'm Dr. Isabella Winters, but you can call me Izzy, Isabella, or whatever really."

K'lizh wouldn't have been embarrassed had the counselor described reading their files that way. That was, after all, her job. He had been attending counseling sessions fairly regularly since his very first tour aboard the Athena, where he had been forced to kill a Klingon pirate in self-defense. And while the sessions were no longer required, he still preferred having someone to talk to. Caitians had very open beings compared to humans.

"Pleased to meet you, Whatever Really," he said, placing his bowl of miso soup down before taking a seat. "If you haven't already gotten to my no-doubt considerable file, I'm  K'lizh, and I assume you've already met our ship's CMO Kintiss." He took a sip from his bowl. He had only interacted with the Doctor in professional situations, though he had nothing against the Selay. K'lizh kept himself busy, and though he wasn't antisocial, sometimes it felt like all he could do to maintain the social circle he already did have. He was at least friends with the other Caitians aboard the Tempest and their mates, and he had a best friend in Naga.

[Kyle Briggs]

Main Engineering

Upon Briggs' invitation, Solluk sat, glad that he hadn't butchered his initial greeting irreparably.  The man seemed amiable enough, and claimed to remember him, which was a bonus.

"Well, Sir, the story behind such a drastic career change is much less remarkable than such stories typically warrant.  I was never a particularly gifted student on Vulcan.  Of the few diverting career paths open to me, becoming a pilot seemed to be the pinnacle path to which I could aspire.  When I joined Starfleet, it seemed natural to stay within that proverbial wheelhouse.  And if my superiors are to be believed, I have a talent for small craft piloting."

He pursed his lips briefly.  "However, as you know, pilots are expected to have basic knowledge of craft maintenance in the event that repairs become necessary in the field.  During one of my regular rounds of diagnostic and parts replacement practice, some of the flight deck maintenance crew complimented me on my work.  This gave me the impression that I might have short-changed myself when narrowing my career focus.  My friends and superiors on the Tempest were also very supportive of me, making me feel that I might aspire to things outside the box I'd assigned myself."

He lifted his hands to punctuate what he was saying, "It began simply enough, with a trip back to the Academy to take extension courses.   My grades were higher than I expected.  Not stellar.  Not by a wide margin.  But better.  Math, which had been a particular challenge for me in the past, seemed to gradually open to me.  I sometimes wonder if the damage I sustained to my brain caused other areas to develop in new ways.  Alternatively, a supportive environment may have dissolved psychological barriers.  I can't be sure what it was.  Perhaps both.  But once I realized that I could reach things further away, it made sense to keep grasping for them."

"And so... I've just taken my Officer's Exam.  With luck, a passing grade may make my rank permanent.  And Engineering is universally a hub of activity.  A better place to forward my career than in small craft piloting.  These career ambitions are new to me, but I am enjoying the feeling of wanting more than I have."

Solluk suddenly felt that he had rambled on quite a bit longer than was necessary to answer the question.  Briggs was his department head, not his counselor.  Plus, it was polite for conversations to involve informative disclosures from more than one party.

"If I may be so bold, Sir... I wonder what path took you from the Discovery to the Tempest?  Though my experience of your leadership was brief, I fully expected to see you continue in starship command for the forseeable future."

At that moment, a communications came through:

"Rellek to Commander Briggs. Please report to the bridge at your earliest convenience. Take you time settling in with your team, just pop in whenever you have a few moments."

=/\=Aye, Captain. I'll be there shortly.

Kyle replied to his new CO before returning his attention to the Lieutenant.

"Now where were we?" he said. "Oh yes. My career path. To be honest, this isn't exactly where I expected to find myself upon my return. My father passed away and I returned home to help my mother with the arrangements and such. Things hit her a lot harder than she had initially let on and I ended up resigning my commission to stay home and help her out. Once she was better and I was able to return, this was the only position available in Shadow Fleet and this is where my family and I are happy, so I accepted it. Someday, I'm sure it will lead me back to the center seat."

Kyle took a moment and sighed as he caught himself thinking about his mother.

"Well. I better not keep the Captain waiting too long." he added as he stood. "Listen. My door is always open. If there's anything you need or just want to talk, feel free. Oh. And I'm sure your passing grades will be here soon. And thank you for sharing your story with me. There is only so much you can learn about someone from their Personnel file."

After the young mans reply, Kyle found himself headed for the lift. It dumped him on the Bridge a few seconds later where he saw the CO speaking to a Science Officer. Kyle exited the lift and waited his turn. When it arrived, he moved closer to the Captain.

"Kyle Briggs reporting, Sir." he said. He wasn't sure if Captain Rellek preferred Ma'am or Sir so he just went with tradition.

[Solluk]

[Main Engineering]

Solluk felt almost immediate regret for asking about Briggs' recent history, as his story ended up being a sad one.  He himself wasn't particularly close to his parents, but he knew he would be crushed if one of them passed away.

He tried to imagine the impact on a human family, where this despair might be felt by the surviving parent as well, multiplying the calamity.

Vulcans were lucky to have eschewed their emotions.

Well... most Vulcans, anyway.

Despite the sorrowful tale, Solluk was honored that the Commander had chosen to be so frank with his disclosure.  He decided it was a gesture of trust and respect.   He vowed to be worthy of it.

Briggs soon excused himself to report to the Captain, and that left Solluk to return his mind to the subject of Jada.

His relationship with her always seemed to be the proverbial 'one step forward, two steps back.'  Whenever he felt they were getting closer, he seemed to say something or do something to sabotage his progress.

Well.  Perhaps this most recent misstep could be salvaged.   Steeling himself, he made his way to Ten Forward.

[Ten Forward]

Upon his arrival, he found Jada and a cluster of officers surrounding the ship's new Counselor, Ensign Waters.  Ironically, Solluk knew much more about the ship's counseling staff than he did about the staff of his new Engineering department.  Being a Vulcan with brain damage and emotional issues meant that he spent a lot of time in the company of psychologists.  He even had an alert programmed into the ship's computer to drop him a message whenever the staff of that department changed.   He had probably been among the first people aboard to learn of her assignment here.

And now he reminded himself that he had to set up an introductory appointment with her.

Well, that was a concern for later.

Gathering near, he nodded to Jada- who seemed to have changed her clothes- and tried on a small, tentative smile to see how it would be received.

[Jada]

[Ten Forward]

Sensing, or perhaps scenting, Solluk, Jada pulled her eyes away from the elegant Doctor Waters, who now had company, and faced her friend. 'So, did you meet your new slavemasterÁ¢â,¬" I mean boss?' she quickly corrected to Federation Standard, but the slip was unashamed and entirely deliberate. She went on, explaining what she figured had bothered Solluk earlier. 'Hey, I was just teasing about the commission. It's traditional. I'm pleased for you, really. I knew you could do it. I mean switching to Engineering, I didn't know you were doing officer school as well.'

[Ian Galloway]

[Bridge]

Ian tapped a couple more commands and leaned back in contentment.

"Standard orbit Ma'am."

Ian stared out at the planet below and frowned.

"Seems a little bland ta me. Looks like no land masses equals no character."

[Julia Rellek]

[Bridge]

Ian tapped a couple more commands and leaned back in contentment.

"Standard orbit Ma'am."

Ian stared out at the planet below and frowned.

"Seems a little bland ta me. Looks like no land masses equals no character."

[Bridge]

"I would imagine that all of the "character" is underwater, Lieutenant." Julia chuckled.

[Bridge]

She walked onto the bridge and immediately headed for the Captain, saluting her as she approached and showed her the list of preparations.  "I've gone through all the preliminary checks of the new gear, the requested imports, and I was thinking that DeWinter and Franklin could use the field experience.  Judging by how quickly they adapted to me, I would judge them as solid choices to come along, and I've included a list of several others I would appreciate you checking, Captain."  If she'd been a human, Naga would have been rocking on her heels.  As it was, she was Gorn, not human, and had no heels to rock back on.

[Bridge]

"Excellent." Julia commented as she picked up a PADD and handed it to Naga. "I'll go ahead and add them to the team. I'm glad to hear your preliminary work is going so well. I still haven't decided who will be leading this mission, but these are the shuttle modifications that starfleet engineering recommended. I thought they may help your team make decisions."

Julia heard the door and looked up seeing a Commander in gold step off of the Turbo lift.

"Kyle Briggs reporting, Sir." he said. He wasn't sure if Captain Rellek preferred Ma'am or Sir so he just went with tradition.

"Ahh Commander, welcome to the bridge." She noticed he seemed to be hanging back a bit. "Please commander, join us." Julia's face cringed a bit at the term Sir. Although she had grown accustomed to it she never really embraced the term. "I prefer Captain, if you don't mind."

Julia gestured to Naga. "Chief this is Commander Briggs. He is going to be taking on the role of Chief Engineer and he will also be in charge of those shuttle modifications that we discussed." Looking back to Kyle. "Dont worry Commander. We will discuss it at length here in a moment and this is CPO Naga Rylu, our Chief Science Officer."