Post by Erika on Jan 4, 2015 22:23:38 GMT
Erika Hayasaki Personal Log, Stardate 89054.29
(Entry #457)
Well, I've finally arrived at my new assignment. First Officer of the USS Exodus. A big step towards a command of my own. Buts that's still pretty far into the future. I'm too young to be considered for command of my own yet. I just have to make a good impression.
First impressions: The ship is beautiful. I love the look of the Excelsiors. Despite the design being a century and a quarter old, she looks strong and proud, like a queen past her prime, but still stately and elegant. Several extensive refits means its as good as new. When I first saw it through the great window over the starbase's lounge, lit by the station's running lights, it took my breath away.
Unfortuneately, when my breath returned, I realized I hadn't made the best impression on my new captain. Two weeks of scrambling around SB146, trying to work out my new assignment culminated in Captain Tiana Rastalon almost literally hunting me down. I stuttered and stammered my way through an introduction, and capped it off with the realization that my new ship had been hanging over my head the whole time, registry lit up like Tokyo's Roppongi district. If Lt. Threm hadn't been in the same boat, my anxiety level would have pinged. To cap it off, before launch, the Captain had a talk with me in the lounge prior to cast off. I thoroughly embarrassed myself trying to find out about her past, dancing all over what I'm sure was a sore spot about her father with size 16 hobnailed boots. Then she laid out her expectations for me, and closed up with the last thing I expected....queries on my relationship status. I have no clue why, but when I had to explain my complete lack of any sort of experience in interpersonal relationships, I'm certain that if I flushed any harder I would have set off the stations fire suppression system. Seriously....what am I? Twelve?
As for the crew, they seem nice. Or at least helpful. The captain is straightforward, and somewhat tactless, but that's better than a schemer or a screamer. The second officer, chief engineer H'rela t'Lhaitrha..she's competant, through I haven't spoken to her much. The third officer, Atreyu Syvian....an agressive El-Aurian....he's already gone, but that's for later. The Tactical Officer, Lt. Tucker, seems to be one of the steadiest people on the crew, though I suspect that their is more to that story. Lt. Threm, the new operations officer er, arrived with me, along with a new draft of crewman. He's....odd..but I can ascribe that to my difficulty with many alien species. His voice is funny though. I had to force myself not to giggle until I got used to it. Then there is Lt. Kasey DuFresne, the bridges Science officer. Another one who I've had no read on, though outwardly he's competent and friendly.
Then there is the ships AI, Pulsar. I've never encountered a fully sentient AI before, and it never occured to me that it would have an android body. First of all, while I can see the benefits, the fact that it could possibly be watching me at any and every moment is....creepy. Then it has a physically powerful shell available to it. It easily took Commander Syvian down, and I'm hesitant about its willingness to do so with little provacation. And the captain addressed it in a manner that made me think of a mother berating a child who is acting out. It makes me wonder about its....stability.
And then the mission. A wonderful showcase of my skills. First I was hesitant about what role I should take on the bridge. How far he captain wished me to go. Then, in a call back to the Swiftsure, and my own duties as ops officer, I directed Mr. Threm to perform the survey scans instead of Mr. DuFresne. The silence as the captain waited for me to correct myself was mortifying. Then we beamed down. I think I failed in my duty. Not only did I not object vigorously enough to the captain leading the away team, but I also failed to object to the inclusion of Commander Syvian, who was clearly spoiling for a fight, and I allowed him to insist that only a select few beam into a an unknown sifuation with sidearms, and I failed to support Lieutenants Threm and DuFresne when they pointed out the relevance of the Prime Directive.
The mission itself was very nearly a debacle. We ended up in the middle of a Zhaosian terrorist attack. Guns everywhere, multiple casualties, and Commander Syvian ready to throw down with alien supersoldiers at a moments notice. I was utterly useless, though I did manage to stay calm and collected. Only quick thinking by the captain and Mr. Tucker prevented cultural contamination that would have damaged everyones careers. It makes me wonder yet again about the Prime Directive's purpose, an how little that particular General Order was thought through before being issued. The icing on the cake was being asked by the captain to dress down the commander.
Wonderful day.. I really need to go try and relax. Make some tea the old fashioned way. Do some aikido kata. Maybe do my nails. Haven't done that in weeks.
(Entry #457)
Well, I've finally arrived at my new assignment. First Officer of the USS Exodus. A big step towards a command of my own. Buts that's still pretty far into the future. I'm too young to be considered for command of my own yet. I just have to make a good impression.
First impressions: The ship is beautiful. I love the look of the Excelsiors. Despite the design being a century and a quarter old, she looks strong and proud, like a queen past her prime, but still stately and elegant. Several extensive refits means its as good as new. When I first saw it through the great window over the starbase's lounge, lit by the station's running lights, it took my breath away.
Unfortuneately, when my breath returned, I realized I hadn't made the best impression on my new captain. Two weeks of scrambling around SB146, trying to work out my new assignment culminated in Captain Tiana Rastalon almost literally hunting me down. I stuttered and stammered my way through an introduction, and capped it off with the realization that my new ship had been hanging over my head the whole time, registry lit up like Tokyo's Roppongi district. If Lt. Threm hadn't been in the same boat, my anxiety level would have pinged. To cap it off, before launch, the Captain had a talk with me in the lounge prior to cast off. I thoroughly embarrassed myself trying to find out about her past, dancing all over what I'm sure was a sore spot about her father with size 16 hobnailed boots. Then she laid out her expectations for me, and closed up with the last thing I expected....queries on my relationship status. I have no clue why, but when I had to explain my complete lack of any sort of experience in interpersonal relationships, I'm certain that if I flushed any harder I would have set off the stations fire suppression system. Seriously....what am I? Twelve?
As for the crew, they seem nice. Or at least helpful. The captain is straightforward, and somewhat tactless, but that's better than a schemer or a screamer. The second officer, chief engineer H'rela t'Lhaitrha..she's competant, through I haven't spoken to her much. The third officer, Atreyu Syvian....an agressive El-Aurian....he's already gone, but that's for later. The Tactical Officer, Lt. Tucker, seems to be one of the steadiest people on the crew, though I suspect that their is more to that story. Lt. Threm, the new operations officer er, arrived with me, along with a new draft of crewman. He's....odd..but I can ascribe that to my difficulty with many alien species. His voice is funny though. I had to force myself not to giggle until I got used to it. Then there is Lt. Kasey DuFresne, the bridges Science officer. Another one who I've had no read on, though outwardly he's competent and friendly.
Then there is the ships AI, Pulsar. I've never encountered a fully sentient AI before, and it never occured to me that it would have an android body. First of all, while I can see the benefits, the fact that it could possibly be watching me at any and every moment is....creepy. Then it has a physically powerful shell available to it. It easily took Commander Syvian down, and I'm hesitant about its willingness to do so with little provacation. And the captain addressed it in a manner that made me think of a mother berating a child who is acting out. It makes me wonder about its....stability.
And then the mission. A wonderful showcase of my skills. First I was hesitant about what role I should take on the bridge. How far he captain wished me to go. Then, in a call back to the Swiftsure, and my own duties as ops officer, I directed Mr. Threm to perform the survey scans instead of Mr. DuFresne. The silence as the captain waited for me to correct myself was mortifying. Then we beamed down. I think I failed in my duty. Not only did I not object vigorously enough to the captain leading the away team, but I also failed to object to the inclusion of Commander Syvian, who was clearly spoiling for a fight, and I allowed him to insist that only a select few beam into a an unknown sifuation with sidearms, and I failed to support Lieutenants Threm and DuFresne when they pointed out the relevance of the Prime Directive.
The mission itself was very nearly a debacle. We ended up in the middle of a Zhaosian terrorist attack. Guns everywhere, multiple casualties, and Commander Syvian ready to throw down with alien supersoldiers at a moments notice. I was utterly useless, though I did manage to stay calm and collected. Only quick thinking by the captain and Mr. Tucker prevented cultural contamination that would have damaged everyones careers. It makes me wonder yet again about the Prime Directive's purpose, an how little that particular General Order was thought through before being issued. The icing on the cake was being asked by the captain to dress down the commander.
Wonderful day.. I really need to go try and relax. Make some tea the old fashioned way. Do some aikido kata. Maybe do my nails. Haven't done that in weeks.