Posted by Lieutenant Commander Eulailia Dacascos (Chief Operations Officer) in Mess Hall- After the Hangovers

Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Mess Hall- After the Hangovers

(snips)

She wasn’t good at accepting compliments but Shara also had no problem being frank about her skills. It was a strange blend of humbleness and confidence and it didn’t always work in her favour. Right now though, there was a warmth she felt for the younger woman, a sense that maybe she really did have something to offer others as she got older. Perhaps all this painfully hard won knowledge and understanding of the universe was useful somehow.

“A lot of my strength has come from adversity, but that’s not always how it has to be. I hope you don’t have to struggle so much to find your own sense of strength. But I’ll share a bit of advice. Sometimes the most brave thing you can do is stand still when all you want to is run screaming. I have gone in ship weapons blazing into battle and not felt the fear I feel now. Because physical life is only one thing you can lose. It’s the other stuff that costs you more.”

Sipping on her coffee, Shara pondered. “Tit for tat. What’s the one thing you hate more than anything?”

~Shara Calloway, CIO

Laila reflected on the words and the advice Shara had shared.
She laughed and said, “Oh that’s easy. I hate being hated.”
Shrugging her shoulders she added, “I know I shouldn’t care what others think of me, but do. It’s important for me to make friends. My mother maintained that I was too sensitive to enlist in Starfleet and sometimes I think she was right. I didn’t join initiallyfor the combat and secret missions. I had goals of being a diplomat. But now I do want the combat experience.”

Dacascos,COO

“Well, I think there is a lot to be said about being well rounded.” Shara rested her arms on the table and leaned forward. “Most diplomats drive me crazy. They can learn all about mediation and conflict resolution, but at the end of the day understanding what it means to truly put yourself on the line, and to test your strengths of your values… you can’t do that from the sidelines, Laila. I thin the people that get it the best are the ones who were there themselves. So if you want to be a diplomat, then go be a diplomat, but be a fighter first, so that when you’re faced with different peoples facing unimaginable situations, you can look at them as people and not just obstacles to manage.” She actually managed to say that all without sounding bitter, much to Shara’s surprise.

~Shara Calloway, CIO