Posted by Cadet Olive Elijah Whitfield (Engineer) in Office: CE - Cadet Whitfield reporting for duty
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OOC: Great post! Don’t forget to sign off on it, I confess it slips my mind from time to time.

IC: Dael sat and watched the Cadet work. She was on the right track with the PADD, he figured it was something to do with the isolinear chips as well and was glad to see her thinking on track. What did concern him was the thought patterns coming off of the Cadet Whitfield. Even from her answers it didn’t take a Betazoid to know that the cadet needed a chance to show that she did know her stuff. It would just take some getting used to, being on a starship, handling the responsibility. Dael remembered when he was a cadet and had to go to the bridge during a crisis, he had about hyperventilated. Hopefully working on the Challenger would change her view.

As soon as the chip had been reseated, the front screen flickered to life. The connection had somehow gotten loose and the PADD burst into life after the chip had been re-inserted into the system. Dael lit up along with along with the device.

“Well, you managed to fix my PADD without my help. Looks like you’re well on your way to becoming a Starfleet Engineer, Cadet.” He held out his hand for the device.
“Let me tell you something really important about being a Chief Engineer, or being an engineer in any position in Starfleet. You don’t have to be a genius to do this job. Does it help, sure, I can’t think of when that wouldn’t help someone. But as a Starfleet engineer, you work as part of a team and each member of that team relies on the other. Especially as the Department Head, I rely on my team to keep this place running so that I can focus on the bigger picture in keeping the Challenger at the Captain’s standards. I’d be nothing without their help. So don’t let that stop you. All you need is some common sense and the ability to take a step back and think a problem through. Just like you’ve just proven you can do” Dael gestured at the PADD.

“That being said, what would you say you bring to our team, Cadet?”

-Lt. jg Dael Stadi, CE

OOC: Argh, you’re right. Sorry about that, I’ll try to keep it in mind…
btw, sorry that there seems to be quite a large gap in our timezones. I hope it’s not too inconvenient!

IC: “Right… I think I understand!” She quickly nodded, blank except for the minor smile she always tries to retain as she listened. Slowly, she took a deep breath to unwind from the latent job, wondering what she would say next. It was hard to imagine, but hearing him say that the team is most important was helpful - more helpful than she herself really knew. She gently reattached the cool backplate of the PADD and returned it. Maybe it’d helped her nerves to have actually fixed the PADD, but regardless, she was feeling better.

“What I can bring?” She scratched the back of her head for a moment as she thought, though was quick to return to a normal stance as to not entertain any of her many current worries. She couldn’t shake the idea that she was nothing special. She knew that better than anyone, but still, she tried to find some qualities that may be of use to the Chief’s team.

“Well, I think I could be another helpful pair of hands. I’m definitely not too stubborn to ignore directions when I receive them, and I am totally prepared to devote any necessary time I might be required to for any job - any time.” She didn’t want to talk herself up too much, of course. She felt like she’d barely gotten through working out the PADD situation, after all. Still, she wanted to make clear that she was absolutely devoted to the job at hand - she’d do anything to prove herself useful. She was getting the feeling that she wasn’t doing so well on her own.

“Er, what I’m saying is that I’m always ready for duty, sir!” She quietly moved to an upright position, her face completely serious. It was no longer a matter of ability - she would be ready, no matter what! She’d make sure of it. This was all she could do.

-Cadet Olive Whitfield, Engineer

OOC: No problemo!

IC: Dael watched the cadet as she answered his question, taking in what she was saying but also paying attention to how she said, what she chose to pick out about herself and what she didn’t see to mention. He had a leg up as a Betazoid in doing this, but he’d also tried being more studious of others behavior since coming into a leadership role. People after all were just another puzzle to be cracked, and he did enjoy mental challenges. However people proved to be much less easy to predict or piece together than a power coupling. At it’s core a power coupling was a power coupling, different designs existed but they all ended in the same result. Too often he’d found that while that logic could hold for many of his crewmates, the variations stretched into infinity, making the determination of bugs or quirks to their “system” much less easy to find. As Whitfield was winding her answer down though he smiled, seeing a lot of himself when he first started work on a starship, and hoped to bring her talents out as his had.

“That’s good to hear, Cadet. I’m always eager to have a good team player in Engineering. I know you wouldn’t be here on an Academy field ship without good academics, but attitude is just as important as a good head on your shoulders on a Starfleet ship. I’m glad to see that you fit that bill.” He looked down at the PADD the cadet had repaired and called up the shift schedule.

“I’ll be setting you into the rhythm of the staff in no time, as soon as you get your medical check in and trip to the counselor squared away. But before I let you go, I’ve thrown a lot at you so I want to know, do you have any questions for me? As your department head I’m as much a resource to you as you are to me here on the Challenger.”

-Lt. jg Dael Stadi, CE