Posted by Lieutenant Kyle Anders (Chief of Security) in Office of the Chief of Security: Reporting For Duty

Posted by Ensign Buddy Cullum (Security Officer) in Office of the Chief of Security: Reporting For Duty

Posted by Ensign Buddy Cullum (Security Officer) in Office of the Chief of Security: Reporting For Duty
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The hum of the transporter faded, and Ensign Buddy Cullum stood alone on the transporter pad of the USS Ark Angel. A heartbeat later, he adjusted the strap of the duffel slung over his shoulder and took a long breath through his nose, as if bracing for impact. This ship smelled different from others he had served on—cleaner than the Galatea, newer, like sterilized ambition and fresh paint over trauma. He didn’t mind it. It gave him less to remember.

He gave a sharp nod to the yeoman waiting for him, offered no handshakes, no smiles, just the transfer Padd and a crisp “Cullum. Reporting.” They didn’t ask anything else. Good.

He made his way to the security chief’s office. Every step echoed a little louder than it should have. It wasn’t his first ship, but it was his first since. The logs would say he’d spent two months in medical observation and psychological debrief, and that he’d been cleared for active duty. Medically speaking, he was fine.

Mentally speaking?

Well, no one could say otherwise. Not really. Not when there was nothing in his head but blank tape and static. The part where he got assimilated—just a blackout. A blip in the timeline. A clean slice through memory. He couldn’t remember the Galatea’s decks flooding with screams, or how it felt to turn on your own, or who might’ve died with his hands on their collar.

Couldn’t remember or wouldn’t remember he couldn’t be certain.

He wasn’t sure which scared him more.

The hallway curved, and he slowed at the sound of something familiar—a low hum vibrating through his boots. Music. Dull and muffled through a wall, but unmistakable. Someone in the adjacent crew quarters was playing “Warp Me Off This Rock.” His song.

Buddy froze, one hand on the corridor wall. The guitar riff flared, raw and sarcastic, backed by Jax’s thunderclap percussion and Ree’za’s guttural bassline. That version had been recorded live at the Bolian Embassy Lounge during midterm week—he could still smell synth-ale and ozone when he closed his eyes.

He didn’t smile.

Instead, he turned away and headed for the security office.

Arriving at the door, he gave the duffel strap another quick shift on his shoulder, straightened his back a bit, and activated the chime.

-Ens. Cullum
Security Officer

BUMP

-Ens. Cullum
Security Officer

“Enter,” a voice called from beyond the door. Cullum found himself standing in the doorway, the smiling face of Lieutenant Kyle Anders, his uniform pressed in pristene condition - his auburn locks curled just tight enough that the Bolian Ensign could probably tell it’d been a long couple of days - “Ah - ‘ello lad! You must be Ensign Cullum - come on in, can I get you anything?”

-Lieutenant Kyle Anders: Chief of Security-

OOC: Just want to clarify, Buddy isn’t Bolian. He is human. He’s in a galactic punk band and the drummer is Bolian. Also, the band has found huge success on Bolarus IX the Bolarian homeworld, so I completely understand the confusion. Just wanted to clear that up. And I’m excited to get to know you in this game! Also, there is a band pic on his profile. He’s the lead guitarist if you want an idea of what he looks like. Cheers!

-Harley

IC: Buddy stepped through the threshold, his boots making a quiet thunk against the deck plating. He didn’t return the smile.

“Thank you, sir,” he said, standing at attention—shoulders squared, expression neutral, all business.

He hesitated for a beat when asked if he wanted anything. A hundred sarcastic answers flashed through his mind—a drink, a time machine, maybe my old life back—but he swallowed them down.

“I’m good, sir.”

His gaze flicked briefly around the office. Taking it all in. That told him something about Anders, though what, exactly, he wasn’t sure yet.

“I’ve reviewed the security protocols and duty rotations from the last three months. I’ve also familiarized myself with the ship’s tactical schematics and access point redundancies.” He paused, shifting his weight subtly. “If there’s anything specific you’d like me to prioritize, I’m ready.”

It was rehearsed, sure—but it was also real. The faster he got to work, the less time he’d have to think.

-Ens. Cullum
Security Officer

BUMP

-Ens. Cullum
Security Officer

BUMP

Ensign Cullum ●
Security Officer
U.S.S. Ark Angel

OOC: Ahh I see - my apologies!

IC: Kyle chuckled, “You’ve certainly done your homework lad, tell me, what was your last tactical holo-sim score?”

-Lieutenant Kyle Anders: Chief of Security-

Buddy blinked, just once—caught slightly off guard by the question. It wasn’t that he didn’t know the answer. He did. It just wasn’t usually the kind of thing people asked unless they were looking to gauge more than just his stats.

“94.3,” he said after a beat, then added with a modest shrug, “Zone interdiction and hostile boarding scenarios, mostly. I ran the last one with limited shield integrity and disabled internal comms.”

He offered the faintest hint of a smile—more reflex than pride. “Didn’t beat the Academy record, but I made the instructor flinch, so… I’ll take it.”

He let the joke land lightly and then straightened again, seriousness returning to his tone. “You’ll find I don’t mind drills, sir. Or sims. Or double shifts, if needed. I’m not here to coast.”

Ensign Cullum ●
Security Officer
U.S.S. Ark Angel

BUMP

“94.3…” Kyle grinned whistfully, “10 seconds more than me, I’ll have to take you on on the Holodeck sometime.” He winked.

-Lieutenant Kyle Anders: Chief of Security-

Buddy’s grin lingered for half a second before he leaned back in his chair, posture open but attentive.

“Holodeck challenge sounds like fair motivation to shave off those ten seconds,” he said. “Might even be a good excuse to run the boarding scenario again—see if I can make you flinch.”

The tone was light, but the glint in his eyes suggested he meant it. He let the comment settle, keeping his gaze steady on Anders, ready for whatever came next.

Ensign Cullum ●
Security Officer
U.S.S. Ark Angel