Posted by Lieutenant Commander Alexander Cochrane (XO) in The meeting with the XO

Posted by Ensign Trax Elbrun Suder (Medical Officer) in The meeting with the XO

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Alexander Cochrane (XO) in The meeting with the XO
Posted by… suppressed (11) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Trax was almost beside himself as he walked the corridor to the lift as he headed to the bridge to meet with the xo then they can go to there meeting together. As the lift stopped on deck one as the doors opened to a busy bridge. As he exited and calmly as he could as he moved to face the captain and xo. “Sorry to interrupt sirs. But I do have a scheduled meeting this morning with the xo. sir!” Trax stood there at attention as he waited calmly for a reply.

Ensign Trax Suder Jo Doctor

Cochrane looked up from the report he was reading and said “Of course, Doctor. Let’s go to my office.” and he stood and looked at the Captain. “Ma’am.” he said and made his way to his office one deck below the bridge. Stepping inside, he looked at Trax as he walked over to the replicator. “Anything to drink, Doctor?” he asked and indicated a chair that sat before his desk.

Cochrane, XO

Trax was going to ask for something totally strong but before he spoke he changed his mind. “A Sweet Tea Sir!” Trax commented softly even though his face was still red. As he fiddled with a PAdd in his off hand. As his mind went over the crap that happened in medical just minutes earlier.

Ensign Trax Suder JO Doctor

Cochrane nodded and retrieved the drink for Trax and a glass of water for himself. He set the drinks on his desk, took a seat behind it, and said “Ok, Doctor. What can I do for you?”

Cochrane, XO

“Well sir!” as he voice trailed off a moment before speaking again. “There are several concerns to be addressed now. “One I was considering possibly a new profession before this other issue arrived. But Its apparent I am not needed or wanted in medical anymore. I and the new Klingon officer cant get alone. On e she is so pissed at me for getting in the way of you and her possibly coupling that I am getting the royal Klingon treatment from her now. as of this morning I was called to her office early for her to tell me that she was getting even for not giving her the chance to get you in her bed. in polite terms. sir. I don’t have issues with following orders and you know this but when a Klingon wants to have a pissing contest for not letting them be with a possible mate then thats not proper procedure. and lies to me that it was repercussions for not letting her do what she wanted.” Trax was beside himself. “I am sorry sir for rambling like this I only have three options: one is to take her BS and endure the Klingon wrath of BS until she thinks i have had enough. Two- To try and find a new job aboard the ship and try and keep my distance until she is better or until i am injured and she wants to take it out on me as a happy spot to her day or fight it out. Or three to resign my commission and leave the Ark Angel. And deal with a private practice on Betazed or some other federation world.” Trax said with a tone of finality in his voice. As for jobs I can take a position as a Jo as Counselor or possible a Jo Engineer or can try other areas of security or other areas as well.” Trax said as he took a drink of his drink and downed it hard like it was liquor. (I will try and add or re-add my bio again to server.)
As he fiddled with his PADD in his hands like a nervous first year cadet or a first date of his past.

Ensign Trax Suder Jo Doctor

Cochrane sat stunned for a few moments. He had dealt with interpersonal issues with subordinates and Department Heads before, but one being mad about perceived spurned advances and taking it out on one of the JO’s? That was a first. Cochrane took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair.

“Ok. Let me get this straight. You are telling me, officially, that the Chief Medical Officer of this ship has told you… point-blank… that she is going to ‘get even with you’ because you stopped her from getting the Executive Officer into bed? She said that? Exactly? And do you have an example of how she is going to, or is planning how, to do that?” he asked, a tone of incredulity and rising irritation in his voice.

Cochrane, XO

“Commander Sir! I am a betazoid her surface thoughts were free to read as soon as i interrupted you she was beyond angry but she kept it hidden well from most beings. But not from me all i felt was anger and feelings of how to get even. After i took you away from the possible courting ritual one which was an honest mistake on my part thinking you needed saving. And now she is wanting to get even for the error. And no she wants my life a living hell because of a simple misunderstanding. I gave her other options but she refused them.” Trax commented. Trax was not sure if the commander was understanding him or not. As he continued to fiddle with the Padd in his hands more. ” And yes she wants to make me suffer or get even.” Because of me wanting to talk to you about a change granted I could have picked a better place to do so. But I figured since we were both there I would just ask.” Trax sighed hard as he looked at an empty glass he has tea in. As he knew he failed and lost everything. As Trax grabbed his combadge and put it in his hands and stared at it for a long moment as a stood up and placed the padd and combadge on the table in front of the xo. Trax sighed hard again. “I hereby resign my commission, I am sorry to have bothered you sir… ” Trax knew full well that this was a lost cause as he lost a good friend. As he turned to leave as the doors slid open for him to leave but he stopped at the threshold. As if he was frozen in time he stood there for a long moment it felt like an eternity. Trax knew as soon as he passed the threshold it was no going back from this.

Ensign Trax Suder Jo Doctor

Cochrane stood up and said calmly but firmly “Ensign, you are not dismissed. Now… sit your butt back down in that chair and pick up that commbadge.” and he paused a moment. “But if you want to throw away all that you have worked for… and show the CMO, me, and every member of this crew that you’re weak and not worthy of her or our respect… then by all means keep walking. But I want you to remember, Doc, as you pout your way back to your cabin to pack up and quit. Not two weeks ago you were part of one the most important fights I have ever been a part of… and I’ve seen my share. You just ran into a race of time traveling snakes who were hell bent on destroying everything they could get their scaly hands on. And you held fast, did your job, and made sure this crew was provided for. You did that. Not the CMO. You stayed in Sickbay when we had the Serpents boarding this vessel. You stayed when others ran. You. Not her.” and he sat back down heavily in his chair and looked down at the commbadge.

“So what’s it gonna be? You gonna let her win? Or are you going to show her what I already know to be the case? That you have strength in you that she can only imagine.” and he looked at the young officer standing in the doorway.

“What’s it gonna be, Doc? You going to keep walking? Or are you gonna do the job you took an oath to do? Decide. Now.”

Cochrane, XO

Trax slowly turned back to the xo. “You already made up your mind.” Trax said with disappointment and with a sigh he came back into the room and took a seat again and did not bother grabbing the combadge and PADD. “I know you make some good points. sir.” Trax commented with sincerity. He decided not to say nothing more as he looked at the ground of the deck plating with carpet as he tried to understand the officer. He thought they were friends but apparently he was wrong on that assumption. He was just another officer and all they have been through was nothing. He will remember that. As he waited for the officer to continue to speak to him.

Ensign Trax Suder Jo doctor

Cochrane stared intently at the apparently defeated young Betazoid. After a moment, he said “Already made up my mind, huh? If that’s what your mind-reading is telling you, you better get to Sickbay and re-calibrate your gray-matter. I haven’t decided anything. It’s not my decision to make, frankly. It’s solely up to you, Ensign.” and he shook his head.
“Dammit, Trax.” he said, using the Ensign’s first name as a way of taking the formality out the proceedings temporarily. “What has gotten into you? You look positively beat. This from an Ensign who took it upon himself to take the Executive Officer and Counselor on a tour of their own ship so he could learn about it? Who sat down at a lunch table with a Lieutenant Commander and spoke freely and without being intimidated by rank? Where the hell is that guy? That’s the Trax I need to talk to right now. Need to go get him, or can you be him for five minutes and stop staring at the floor and look at me?”

Cochrane, XO

Trax stared at the xo for a long time before speaking. As to let his words to sink in. “I am the same guy sir! I just can’t get through to this CMO that I am not a threat to her. or her dating rituals. Unless she knows about me sir? But you don’t know about me either sir! Unless she feel threatened about me taking you as a mate but i know your not interested in me in that way sir.” Trax said with dismay. Before the xo could respond. ” I am a gay man sir.” Trax said as he blushed a bit still not comfortable about telling others of his sexuality.

“I will retract my resignation. Sir! If we don’t get this officer straightened out and give them a better understanding of Human situations and humanity. We wont have a medical section to go to.Sir!” Trax commented carefully. “I will do what I can sir but I do wish to take up more challenging duties beyond medical.” Trax said calmly to his friend. As he waited for the xo to respond.

Ensign Trax Suder JO Doctor

Cochrane looked at Trax for a moment and then said “First. I don’t care what your sexuality is. I believe people are defined by their deeds, not who they choose to love. Second. I think you need a crash-course in Klingon psychology and custom. Fortunately for you, you happen to have a friend with extensive experience in that area. Third. We do not have to straighten out anything. This conflict, at it’s core, is between you and the CMO. It’s up to you two to work it out. I will only intervene if you can’t come to a workable solution that allows you two to work together. So there we have it. You aren’t resigning, but I am going to assist you in figuring out how to deal with your Department Head. First lesson.” and he stood up and walked to a cabinet near the replicator and opened it. He took out a holographic image in a case. It was a reprimand from a Klingon Captain to Cochrane. Cochrane set it on the desk and slid it across to Trax. In it, the Klingon derided Cochrane for being weak and soft. Apparently, Cochrane complained to the Captain about the abuse being rendered on Junior Officers on board that ship. The Captain officially wrote Cochrane up for not stopping it himself.

“You are taking the CMO’s attitude to you as an insult. It’s not. It’s a test. If she didn’t think you are ‘worthy’, she wouldn’t test you to begin with. She wants to see if she can count on you to make hard choices and to stay the course even when it means life or death. You coming here? Well, in her eyes that is at least a partial failure of that test. That’s how Klingons are. You are either strong and resilient to what they see as trivial things… or you are a waste of their time.” and he paused and let Trax digest what he was saying. “So now the question is… how do you plan on passing her test?”

Cochrane, XO

“Probably dying sir.” Trax commented flatly to him. As he looked at him again. “sorry sir. I don’t see the point that I have to prove myself to anyone my record and duties speak for themselves. two this started because she did not get her way with you sir.Now i have to fight or deal with more fighting to prove i am worthy of you? Or the job.” Trax commented quickly not noticing what he had said to the xo about him fighting for him. “And I offered to fight her to prove my worth but she refused.” Trax said quickly too. “And as for the test?? I have no clue other then take on all the duties of the nursing staff along with my own duties.” Trax commented flatly. “I am better off fighting and get the pissing contest over so she can have you to herself.” Trax at this point did not care if he hurt anyones feelings.

Ensign Trax Suder JO Doctor

Cochrane did his best to hide the slight twitch his mouth made as he grinned slightly and then composed himself. “Well, Ensign. Let’s just put this one issue to bed, shall we? And yes, I used that term on purpose.” and he leaned forward and clasped his hands together on the desk and looked directly at Suder. When he spoke, his voice was firm and unyielding. “I have no intention of sharing my bed or my affections with any subordinate officer under my command. I know that many officers do not feel that it is an issue. For me… it absolutely is. I find it to be not only an unnecessary distraction, but completely unprofessional. I come from generations of military officers. The man I am named for fought the nazis during Earth’s Second World War. And I will do nothing to tarnish that tradition. I am happy to have friends in my crew, but I will not have anything more than that. Do I make myself clear?”

Cochrane took a deep breath. “Look. You are a Junior Officer under a Klingon Department Head. That means one of two things. You can throw your hands up in the air and wail about how unfair she is being and continue to have to work under her like that until you either quit or are transferred because of poor performance reviews. Or… you can take on every menial task, every sideways remark, and every mean look and show her that you cannot be intimidated or scared into submission. She is a Klingon. They understand personal strength before anything else. You have yet to show her what you have shown me in the past. What you showed the crew of this ship when we fought the Serpents. You haven’t shown her anything yet. And that, dear Doctor, is solely upon your shoulders. No one else’s. It’s not a pissing contest. She is going to put the screws to you to see what you are made of. Why? Because we aren’t in a battle where life and death hang in the balance, and that is her standard for evaluating a colleague. So you are going to have to work your butt off trying to garner her respect. That is something I know you can do. And once you have that? Hell, you will have no greater ally than her. But you have to put in the work first. ” and he jabbed his finger into the desk top to emphasize last word. “Records mean exactly nothing to a Klingon Officer. What matters is if they can rely on you in the worst situations. And right now? She can’t. And you can’t rely on her, either. But if you want to be a better officer… a better doctor… I suggest you start looking at this as less of a living hell and more of an opportunity.” and he leaned back and added “Or you can take the easy way out and tell me now you want a transfer to another section. I will see what is available and you can leave Sickbay today. Your choice. I won’t leave you somewhere you feel you can’t perform to the best of your abilities.”

Cochrane, XO

Trax tried his best to follow the xo’s thinking. And try and understand the Klingons ways but it was still hard for him. “I will try to do what you wish sir. But I guess I won’t understand the Klingon code or the humans for that matter? Trax questioned feeling more at a loss now. “But I will try sir! But I still would like to know all my options on this ship.” Trax stood up. “as for your traditions I understand completely loyalty and your military traditions are very important to you and I know that’s no lie.sir!” Trax sighed hard. “Traditions mean a lot to me too. Arranged marriages and the chime would drive me crazy. And for your knowledge, I was not asking for a date, sir. But I doubt that the CMO will understand that you are not interested.” as he blushed hard this round noting to facts. He did not explain things any further to the xo. He hoped he understood what he meant. “Only thing I was lucky about I was not offered up for an arranged marriage. Because it would be much harder to deal with especially with my mother I rather fight the klingons.” Trax commented quickly.

Ensign Trax Suder JO Doctor