The Top Brass Meet

Posted on Mon Oct 7th, 2024 @ 4:09pm by Captain Qierress & Commander Koda Screaminghorse

1,787 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: 1 - Third Contact
Location: Bridge
Timeline: MD01 - 0800

Qierress sat down in her Captain's Chair on the bridge. She watched as people started to filter in and out of the bridge and the ship in general, marveling at the differences between Gelrakian ships and Federation ships. First, Federation ships were very stark compared to Gelrakian ships. There was an unnerving blandness to much of the ship. Gelrakian ships on the other hand, were well decorated. Crystaline motifs were everywhere. Gelrakian controls were made of crystals and each had their own harmonic. On the other hand, Federation ships were nearly uniform, controlled by buttons and computers. Crystals were nowhere to be found. I'll have to change that, Qierress thought to herself.

The Captain also was unsure of the Federation at some level. The Cerritos crew said they were not wood lovers like Mavok Prime, yet wood paneling could be found in various places. It made her cringe. Thankfully, had there been any on the Captain's chair, it had been removed in favor of smooth polyurethane or metals. Regardless, she was going to show the Federation that Gelrakians were not some backwards race that needed coddling.

She was an outcast at home and here, she would be equally odd. What was the difference? She bucked every trend and here...here, perhaps she could make a name for herself. Yes, she had been assigned an XO, but she did not care. One Federation member was like another. She knew nobody. She would have to forge relationships from scratch. So where was he? It is a "he," isn't it?

It was, in fact, a he and he being Commander Koda Screaminghorse had just had a calming aroma therapy session after his time sitting in the sauna. His skin was still warm to the touch and radiant. It took him a little longer to get back into his uniform than he had intended, but he was hoping that the new Commanding Officer was not one for firm deadlines and running with the ticking of a clock. He stopped by his quarters to pick up the necklace before heading to the turbolift and taking it up to the bridge.

Strutting out onto the bridge, Screaminghorse quickly found the pale green skinned woman seated in the center seat, the Captain's chair. Koda gave a slight bow and presented the woman with the necklace with the tourmaline crystal pendent. "Captain," he said in a calming tone. "Please accept this tourmaline crystal to help balance your internal energies, and it is my sincerest intention to be more considerate of your time going forward, ma'am."

"Greetings, Commander," Qierress told Screaminghorse. She tilted her head slightly to the right, looked at him and then straightened, giving a slight bow as she took the necklace from her XO. She inspected it and then placed it over her head. "It accents my earrings well. Thank you, Commander. Unfortunately, I did not get you any gift in return." There was no shrug of apology or nonchalance, just a pause and then a continuation. "I believe we should get to know each other."

He took a seat at her side in the vacant chair, crossing one leg over the other at just above the knee. "A prudent course of action. If we are to synergize," he said with a small smile. "The two of us will need to get to know one another. This is my first time aboard a parliament class starship, yours as well?"

"It is," Qierress admitted. "I did not get to step on a California class ship either, though I had ordered a number of people to board the Cerritos," she admitted. "Apparently those actions won me accolades on both sides of the battle. I was asked by Starfleet to come on over to study here and lead a ship here. I must admit that I do not have all the Federation species memorized nor all of the terminology but I do know my way around a ship."

The fact that Captain Qierress was gifted this opportunity was something that Screaminghorse would need to wrap his mind around. She was not Starfleet, but she was now. This was one way of doing things to improve relations with her people, but how was thing going to work?

"I see," Screaminghorse replied. "Then you are in luck, ma'am. I have spent several years as a diplomatic officer. I have served in Starfleet for many years. I've set foot on dozens of worlds."

"That must be why Starfleet put us together. Wise," she mused with a small snuff, coming from her nostril holes. "Tell me what I should know about our crew, if you can."

Screaminghorse chuckled. "That we are in no danger of losing any of them to Enterprise, or Titan for that matter," he relied bluntly. "I wish I could give you more, but I'm just about as in the dark as you are. We'll have to tackle the unknown together, Captain."

Oblivious to the reference that the Enterprise and Titan were desired locations for people to serve, Qierress answered, "That sounds like a noble task." Her bottom canines hung over her upper lip firmly before she spoke again. "So, tell me more about you. I am learning a good deal about the cultures in Starfleet and I am to understand that Terrans, or humans, as they are alternately called, and which I believe you are, are not homogenous. You do not even share the same language. How does that work?"

"A lot of worlds in the Federation are like that," Screaminghorse stated as he thought. "Even those outside of the Federation. They have several languages and dialects." Screaminghorse could spend hours discussing cultures.

He thought of his own. "I was born on Earth but raised on Neural," he explained. "Is it different on your world? Just one language?"

"Just one language," Qierress confirmed. "However, the dialects get a little distressing as one moves from the North to the South of Gelrak V and please do not get me started on those who have settled on the moons. One can barely recognize the language."

"I have come to understand that to be a universal trait with those that settle on lunar colonies and remote frontiers," the First Officer concurred. "This will be a good learning experience for the both of us."

"We must learn each other, that is certain. However, my learning curve will be higher due to less familiarity and I have already learned that I do not have human tact. I will rely heavily on you to interpret the crew and its morale for me."

Screaminghorse practically smirked at the Captain's commentary. "We've been paired well. That happens to be a bit of my specialty. I will keep you up to date and we'll be briefed on crew morale. There will be no underperformed or frowning faces on the bridge."

The Captain looked hard at Screaminghorse with her seemingly serious face, her bottom canines hanging over her lips. It was a stark contrast to Screaminghorse's promise. "Are there crew concerns that I should know about now? We have barely started to get them on this ship. I do not know what takes so long to accomplish that."

"A wise man one said," Screaminghorse looked stoic for a moment. "Life," he prefaced before continuing. "It is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you might get," he said with a smirk.

He looked at the woman. "I have no concerns yet. We are only just starting to receive our chocolates, and we have to blindly trust Starfleet made good decisions at the crew we're getting. If we don't like how they taste? Then, we spit them out and strongly encourage that they transfer to some other starship. Perhaps the Calypso?"

"I do not understand your analogy," Qierress answered with a blank stare. "You have a very strange wise man; however, I do agree that those who do not fit should be encouraged to transfer. Why would you think that the Calypso would be a better place to send our poor crew members?" The Captain did get a sly grin. "Though, it may be a bit humorous to send people who could not handle matters here to a more well-known ship."

"It is easier to hide the problem personnel on a larger starship" Screaminghorse replied with his 'wise man' words of wisdom. "If a tree falls in your backyard and lands atop your home, you notice it. You hear it. You must do something about it, but if a tree falls in a great big forest, does it matter?"

Once again oblivious to the analogy, Qierress responded, "It very well may to the animals in the area and those who have made it its home. Also, there could be a substantial environmental impact if it suddenly created a dam or it drying out causes it to be the kindling for a fire that ultimately harms the entire forest." She blinked lizard-like at Screaminghorse.

"Let's get to work," finished Screaminghorse. "I will work to ensure that this crew is an efficient one," he added. There would certainly be cultural barriers between these two, but Koda was open to learning about her.

"Yes, we should do that. I am going to find the rest of the Chiefs as they come aboard. I want to introduce myself before we depart. Perhaps even set up a Chief meeting. I should have a yeoman around here somewhere, right? I should have the yeoman taking down all of my thoughts."

Screaminghorse nodded "You should. If you do not, then find someone suitable and we will arrange for them to be your Yeoman." If the Captain needed one, the Captain would get one. That was how Koda thought.

The Captain thoughtfully stroked her chin and then sighed. "I will definitely look into that. In the meantime, you should meet all the Chiefs, as well. After all, they will need someone to vent their frustrations with me to. I will go take care of that yeoman issue now and sort out my ready room. It has been good meeting you. I look forward to more of your wisdom."

"It is as deep as the ocean and as flowing as the rapid steams," said Screaminghorse. "Though my ancestors would certainly caution you that it is as useful as a cactus in the arctic."

Qierress was not certain what that completely meant, but she was certain that Screaminghorse meant well. She gave him a nod and started looking through her PADD thoughtfully as she headed to her Ready Room.


Joint Post by:

Qierress
Captain of the USS Quebec

and

Commander Koda Screaminghorse
XO of the USS Quebec

 

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