Posted by Commander Riley O’Nell (Executive Officer/Number One) in A new day
O’Nell woke up and was looking forward to the day ahead. He had a new color uniform and a new pip for his collar.

As he got dressed, he made his way to the bridge as he passed some of the crewman they are congratulated him on his promotion to Commander and the new XO.

O’Nell minutes away to the mass hall to grab a mug of coffee. He enjoyed a quick breakfast with his coffee.

Commander Riley O’Nell (XO)

Nala stepped out of the turbolift and into the corridor almost on autopilot.

The promotion still didn’t feel real.

Chief Science Officer.

Her ears flicked back and forth as the words replayed in her mind, each time carrying a slightly different weight. Responsibility. Expectation. A whole department looking to her now. The ship’s constant hum threaded through the bulkheads and into her bones, louder tonight than it had been earlier.

You just got here.
You were the junior officer this morning.

Her tail swayed behind her without discipline now, betraying the storm of calculations racing through her head. Staffing rotations. Lab allocations. Sensor priorities. What if the senior researchers didn’t respect her? What if she missed something critical? What if…

She turned the corner and nearly walked straight into someone.

Nala stopped short, ears snapping upright in alarm as her thoughts crashed back into the present.

“Oh!” she blurted, catching herself half a step too late.

Her amber eyes lifted and widened slightly when recognition followed.

“Commander sorry sir,” she said quickly, straightening out of reflex. Her tail curled in close as she tried to gather the scattered pieces of her composure.

“I didn’t see you there.”

Her ears flattened for just a moment in embarrassment before lifting again, the faint edge of anxiety still visible around the corners of her posture as she stood there in the corridor newly promoted, overwhelmed, and still trying to keep pace with a ship that never seemed to slow down.

LT.JG Nala