Posted by Fleet Captain Drudoc Andone (CO) in Side Sim - CO’s ready room, 900 hours
[snip]

Sadie swallowed audibly as she stood in front of the CO’s ready room, her hand hovering over the button which would ring the chime. She refused to look back at the people on the bridge, and was visibly shaking. After standing there for what seemed like ages, she finally pressed the chime. She was afraid of what she had to say, but she knew she had to do it. She couldn’t handle this job. She hadn’t signed up to be a department head, and it had been thrust upon her so very suddenly that she just… she couldn’t handle it.

=/\= Enter! =/\= Came the CO’s reply from within.

Looking up from behind her desk to Sadie Drudoc said, “..Ah Lieutenant how can I help you?” She asked.

“Captain,” Sadie bowed deeply, then stood straight. “I… I’d like to stay on the Ark Angel, but even with my anxiety reduction treatments that I’ve been working on with the Counselor, I’m overwhelmed, Captain!” She took a deep breath. “I’d like to go back to being a Junior Officer, please…”

She closed her eyes and seemed to retreat into herself slightly.

Drudoc set the PADD to the side she was working on, giving her full attention to the young woman. “..From all accounts I have observed Lieutenant you are performing the role of department head excellently. Why is it you feel you are failing?” She asked.

Drudoc Andone CO

Sadie took a deep breath. How could she explain it without sounding absolutely horrid? “I’m not very good at leading, sir. I never really wanted this position, and my temperament isn’t suited for leadership…” she glanced up at the captain, then looked at the floor. “I can’t lead people who…” she swallowed. “There is a new officer. An Ensign. He is Vulcan, sir, and he… he bothers me in a way that I can’t really explain. I depend on emotional expressions to understand aliens. And most Vulcans I’ve known in the past have ways of emoting without emoting, it’s hard to explain, but this officer doesn’t. He’s… I can’t stand being around him…”

Sadie hated herself. How could she, someone who was such a vocal supporter of the idea of ending prejudice, feel this level of discomfort? She already felt high levels of stress when having to order around the tall-folk, and his way of just… she didn’t know. She had been unnerved by him from the moment he stepped into her office, and the interactions they had had since hadn’t made it better. She knew she was supposed to be a mentor for this individual, but how could she be when she was afraid of him?

Sadie