SIM:Lael Rosek - Checking In With The First Officer Part II (Veritas)

Previous sim "Checking In With the First Officer, Part I"	Lieutenant Lael Rosek Engineering Officer Starbase 118 USS Veritas NCC 95035	Next sim "Bringing Back the Humor"
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OOC: Takes place after Lael’s “Checking In With the First Officer, Part I”, which takes place after Lael’s “Long Time No Chat, Part II”

((XO’s Office, USS Veritas))

Lael stiffened at the mention of the incident with Commander Walker, a light flush staining her cheeks. It wasn’t one of her proudest moments. She’d had the best of intentions, but had let her temper get the better of her. She and Alex had risked their lives to save the woman. To see Walker so nonchalant about putting herself right back in that position and others right along with her had been more than she could stand.::

Rosek: ::clears her throat:: I’ve already apologized to the captain and to Commander Walker for my behavior.

The Caitian nodded slightly, steepling his fingers comfortably together atop his desk. ::

Mei’konda: I reaalize that, Lieutenant. I’m not lookiing for an apology. As I saaid, we want you to enjoy your tiime here, and I want to know how that can happen. If you want to talk about why that happened, though - you may speak freely.

Rosek: ::drops her gaze from his and murmurs:: There have been times in my career when I’ve let things go--orders that I didn’t agree with--and it’s gotten people hurt or killed. ::grimaces:: While I had the best of intentions, I realize that I let my personal feelings get in the way of my professionalism.

The Hocktin Incident was still fresh in her mind. It hadn’t been all that long ago that she and Alex among many others were given a death sentence because of one man’s not-so-stellar judgement. It was something that she was still working through. She’d need to remember to bring it up with her counselor at some point.::

Rosek’s statement reminded Mei’konda of something that had happened many years ago. His first day on his first assignment, in fact. It was long enough ago that he was able to quirk his lips up in a slight smile at the memory. ::

Mei’konda: I’m sorry, Lieutenant, I’m just rememberiing something. Please, go on.

Rosek: ::lifts her gaze to meet his:: There was no excuse for my behavior. You have my word that it won’t happen again.

The Caitian nodded slightly. One luxury he did have in his small office was a replicator. He swiveled his chair toward it, and glanced back at Rosek. ::

Mei’konda: Something to driink?

Rosek: Ligonian spiced tea is fine, sir.

The Caitian nodded, and spoke up. ::

Mei’konda: One mexican hot chocolate with whipped cream, and one Ligonian spice tea.

As the drinks materialized, he lifted them out from the replicator and passed Rosek’s over to hers, before taking a drink of his own. ::

Mei’konda: I was just thiinking of my first day on the USS Mercury. I was an Ensign. My first assignment, in faact. I had literally just disembaarked from the shuttle that had brought me there when I found nearly the whole senior staff prepaaring to leaave on an illegal trip to Pythron to help one of them, who was from there, do somethiing that involved chaanges to the planet’s government. It was a long tiime ago, I don’t remember the specifics.

Lael nodded, sipping her tea.::

Rosek: ::smiles wanly:: Sounds like an interesting way to start your service as an Ensign.

Mei’konda: Mhm. They actually needed a pilot. I was a helmsman. But I refused. I even brought a tricorder to the meeting, so I would haave evidence of wrongdoing if I needed it. Captain Reynolds was on the Mercury at the time, and she spotted the tricorder.

Rosek: ::arches an eyebrow and sips her tea:: Oh?

Lifting his mug of hot cocoa up to take another sip, Mei’konda glanced out toward the small window that looked out into space on his left and Rosek’s right. ::

Mei’konda: I’d gotten what I needed. She didn’t saay anythiing at the tiime, but she just maade it clear she’d seen it.

Rosek: ::smiles:: To be honest, I’m not surprised. So what happened?

The Caitian let out a quiet chuckle. ::

Mei’konda: Later, she complimented me for it. Saaid that it took guts for an Ensign to record somethiing like that. You may be the first person I’ve told, outsiide of my fiance. Anyway, my point is only that you aren’t the fiirst person to haave a rough start to an assignment. Any ideas as to what will maake the Veritas more of a home for you?

Rosek: ::smiles:: Actually, I feel like I really could find a permanent home here. Despite how stressful the last mission was, everyone has been very welcoming. What happened between Commander Walker and I was a misunderstanding caused partially I think by not knowing her very well. We’ve discussed it since then and I feel good moving forward.

Nodding his head once back toward Rosek, Mei’konda brushed a few fingers over his chin, thoughtfully. ::

Mei’konda: Well, despiite how important first impressions can be, I’m sure the Commander values your work, especially consiidering how exciiting our last miision was. And how much of a straain it put on the ship’s systems and crew.

Rosek: ::smirks:: Hopefully not all of our missions will be this...exciting. Though given that it’s Starfleet, I’m not holding my breath.

Mei’konda chuckled, quietly. ::

Mei’konda: I completely agree, Lieutenant. I thiink I’d be okay with a few years of chaarting nebulas, at this rate. Well, if there’s nothiing else I can do for you?

Rosek: ::shakes her head:: Nothing else at the moment, sir. I actually have an appointment with Counselor Moonsong directly after this, so I think the timing works out well.

Rising up to his feet, he offered her a fuzzy hand to shake. ::

Mei’konda: In that case, Lieutenant, welcome aboard the Veritas. And if there’s nothiing else, I’ll see you tomorrow when I check in, in engineering.

She smiled, standing and taking the Caitian’s paw in hers, her grip strong but not overly forceful as she shook the offered paw. It had become second nature to her to control her strength. The last thing she needed on her disciplinary record was breaking her FO’s paw because she wasn’t careful enough.::

Rosek: I’ll look forward to it, sir.

She released his paw and turned to exit his office, her mind on the upcoming appointment with Moonsong. It was mandatory, but at the same time she dreaded the first session the most. Stepping onto the turbolift, she called out the order that began its ascent to Deck 6 where the counselor’s offices were located.::

Mei’konda squeezed Rosek’s palm nice and firmly, then let go. One more nod, and he settled back down at his terminal. Time to catch up on paperwork. In his time in Starfleet, he’d learned more than once that nothing generated more of it than a firefight. ::

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Lieutenant Lael Rosek, Eng.D. Engineering Officer USS Veritas NCC-95035 Podcast Team Facilitator Training Team Member I238110RH0 https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php/Lael_Rosek

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​Lieutenant Commander Mei’konda First Officer USS Veritas M239002M10