Appointments: Operations
Posted on Thu Mar 13th, 2025 @ 9:42pm by Captain M'Raz & Lieutenant H'iri
1,695 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Resistance is Necessary
Location: Captain's Ready Room | Deck 1 | USS Jane Addams
Timeline: MD002 - 0730
Lacking a yeoman at present, Raz did the appointments himself, sending them out to the three individuals recommended to assume department head responsibilities based on their performance on the away team, their records, and the current needs of the Jane Addams.
H'iri noted that Raz made an appointment for her to attend to him. She assumed that it was regarding their mission to the Fleet Yard since their personal issues were sorted somewhat. The female Caitian walked steadily to Raz's Ready Room and rang the chime.
Raz's Ready Room was divided into two sections, a raised platform with a sofa, a chair, coffee and end tables, and of course, a replicator. The lower section had his desk, two visitors' chairs, and a credenza with the desk facing the door. The room was comfortable, lived in, with a color scheme similar to his quarters, blues and grays primarily. There was a landscape over the credenza and another cluster of smaller ones over the sofa.
He'd been lying on the sofa with his eyes closed, not really sleeping, but thinking, working through possibilities. When the chime sounded, he rose to his feet and crossed to the replicator, calling out "Enter" as he did so.
H'iri entered the room, wondering how he would decorate his Ready Room. She looked around, taking in every possible detail of it, trying to ascertain who he became. Upon spotting the Captain, H'iri looked over at Raz and said, "I could come back later, Raz, if you require rest. However, you did call for me."
"No, no," Raz said as he waved her toward a chair. "Have a seat. Would you like something to drink while I'm here?"
"Drink?" H'iri asked as she sat down cautiously. "Maybe some iced tea."
Raz ordered the drink and brought it to her then circled the desk to find his seat, placing his mug in its accustomed spot as he settled into the seat that had been custom made to his specifications. "I would prefer," Raz began, "that unless it's something personal, such as your visit to my quarters last night, that you refer to me as Captain or Sir. It's not ego, you understand, just a ... separation ... of my duties as commanding officer of the ship and whatever personal relationship exists between us."
Accepting the iced tea, H'iri thought to herself, That was an interesting comment. "Whatever personal relationship exists between us?" Is he saying that he wants to resume something that was left behind twenty years ago? Is that something he wants? Is it something that I want? She hesitated on that thought. I never did like the way things ended, and I had thought about him from time to time. I suppose there's nothing stopping me now or us. If he wanted to.... Does he? H'iri turned away with that last thought and said, "I understand, Sir. Perhaps...." H'iri started, and then shook her head. "In any case, you wished to see me?"
Her answer was slow in coming and Raz could tell, just by watching her, how she had turned inward for a moment. People had often accused him of being expressionless, impossible to read either in a good or bad way, but H'iri? That had never been a problem for her. Hard to tell what she was thinking but then he was no Betazoid with an obsessive need to pry thoughts out of your skull.
"I understand you have some experience in Operations," Raz said. "Have you ever led a department?"
"I have," H'iri confirmed, though her voice was somewhat surprised. She would have thought that Raz would have looked up her record by now. Was he not curious at all about what she had been doing? In fairness, H'iri scolded herself, she had not looked into it, either. "I was promoted to Chief Ops on the Alpha Centuri. After a tour there, it was recommended that I attend command school, which is where you picked me up."
"And had you completed command school," Raz asked.
She shook her head negatively. "No. I had another year to go. I also apparently picked the wrong day to take the Kobyashi Maru. I had just passed. Having the Borg attack after it was surreal and made me question whether the test was still running." She paused for a moment and then said curiously, "Did your XO not inform you of these things? I told him all of this in the cargo hold when we were picked up."
"Commander Reeves pulled those he thought might benefit the ship; you among some others," Raz said. "Database access is offline at the moment," he added with a tired sigh. "Not a surprise given the state of things on Earth, and while he made his recommendations, I prefer to do my own interviews. Is there a problem with your talking about your professional history more than once?"
"Not at all," H'iri replied, slightly surprised by his question. She then took an apologetic and conciliatory tone. "I am pleased with the recommendation. I also know that this is a difficult time. I also cannot imagine that things are as efficient as anyone might like them to be."
"Efficiency," Raz mused. His right paw was wrapped around his mug and the claw on his index finger extended every so slightly, as he delicately scratched the side. "That matters a great deal to you, doesn't it?" His pale gray gaze rose, to meet her own as he waited for her answer.
"I don't see why anyone should have to do things in a roundabout way. More of life can be enjoyed if necessities are handled efficiently. So, yes, it matters to me, because I enjoy having more of my personal time, where I can." How do you think I spent so much time with you when I was young? She knew that Raz was not interested in hearing about that now, though. He wanted his line in the sand, so she gave it to him. Taking a sip of her iced tea, she politely waited for Raz to get to his point.
To the point then, he thought. So be it. "I'm looking for someone to take over as Chief of Operations. I was wondering if you were interested."
"I would. There's a lot to be done, especially with all the other people who have been beamed aboard. Logistics will be challenging. The work will be rewarding, especially if we can rid ourselves of the Borg." She hesitated for a moment, thought, and then added, with some uncertainty in her voice. "If that happens, of course, I will go back to command school. I...." She cut herself off and swallowed any further words with another sip of iced tea.
"I had not intended this as a temporary assignment," Raz said. "And you should know that this war with the Borg is not likely to resolve quickly or easily. "This is a real assignment. When ... Starfleet gets back to holding courses again, we can revisit the topic then."
"I agree on both points," H'iri answered. "We are definitely in unchartered territory and I just want to be of use. I would hate to do nothing." She hummed lightly, "Maybe I could improve the systems, as well. I know the ship took a bit of a beating from the Borg and repairs are ongoing, so I'll be of use. Is there something that you would like me to specifically dedicate my attention to?"
"At the moment, get the department in hand and then put together a report on what's needed," Raz said. "We've been on patrol for a year along the Cardassian Border and then, the battle, so I'm not at all certain where things stand at the moment."
"You have not had reports in a year?" H'iri asked incredulously.
Raz chuckled, low in his throat, as he shook his head slightly. "No, you misunderstand. We've been on patrol for a year so our supplies aren't where they should be. We were supposed to be on leave for a couple of weeks, so I don't know what's been done as far as the final reports and all of that."
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!" H'iri exhaled, turning her head abashed. "Well," she started, clearing her throat. "I can definitely take a look at that. See what was done, cross check the information and give you a more complete report."
"Good," Raz said. "Then I accept Lieutenant H'iri as Chief of Operations for the USS Jane Addams and grant you the rights and privileges associated with that position."
"Lieutenant H'iri is now Chief of Operations," the computer responded and with that, her record and permissions were adjusted accordingly.
"I don't know where you're quartered at the moment, but your first task will be to move yourself into the old Chief's quarters. Now that you're part of the senior staff, you're entitled," Raz said. "So, if there's nothing else, I'll let you get to work."
"I already was placed there. I packed up his personal effects so they could be sent to his family," she informed Raz. "As to anything else, only if you desire to talk about something other than work." She hedged her statement further, stating, "I know that you have much more important things to do."
Raz's expression, shuttered and neutral, did not invite personal confidence and he shook his head slightly. "There's nothing else," he said.
H'iri rose from her chair and placed the remainder of the iced tea on the nearby table. "Very well, Captain," she replied stiffly. "If you decide otherwise, you know where to find me. After all, I am at your command."
"You are dismissed," Raz said and returned his attention to the near overwhelming responsibilities facing him at the moment. Twenty-four hours ago, he had been ready for leave and now, he'd lost valued crew members ... friends ... people he respected, and the everything, everything had changed. He held himself together and put the ship and his duty before everything. There really wasn't room for anything else.
Captain M'Raz
Commanding Officer
USS Jane Addams
Lieutenant H'iri
Chief of Operations
USS Jane Addams
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