Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Executive Officer) in T’Mor, Boarding

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade T’Mor (Scientist) in T’Mor, Boarding

Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Executive Officer) in T’Mor, Boarding
Posted by… suppressed (11) by the Post Ghost! 👻
T’Mor took a deep breath before she rang the chime outside the OX’s office. She was- fine. Everything was fine. In fact, she didn’t even view it as a demotion. Though some might have. She had somewhat secretly hoped her position as Chief Science Officer was temporary. She missed managing her own lab, working in her projects rather than overseeing an entire department. This wasn’t a failure on her part…

Everything was fine…

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor, Scientist|

OOC: Our spec doesn’t actually have an office for the XO (which has become a bit of a joke now), but I’ll just toss her into the Conference Room, if that works for you. Chiming for entry would still be appropriate unless they had an appt already set. :)
IC:
“Enter…” a slightly raspy voice called out.

At the large table was a Human woman with medium brown hair pulled back and pinned into a twist. Focused on the large PADD in front of her, she held up one finger to her guest and said nothing just then. Around her were a couple small piles of PADDs, as well as a mug that was pushed off to the side alongside a half-full glass of water.

Nodding a couple time to herself, the woman swivelled her chair towards the door and smiled as she laid eyes on the newcomer. “Ahh! Lieutenant Mor, I was expecting you and this is not far off when I thought you might pop around.” She stood, and was quite tall and lean and had impeccable posture. She appeared about middle aged for a Human (though she was a bit older), and there was still no grey hair present, though there were fine lines around her eyes. “I’m Commander Shara Calloway, though you already knew that,” she said with a smile and a tiny tilted nod that almost amounted to a bow of her head.

“Come, have a seat and don’t mind my mess. I have another hour before this room is booked and I need to vacate.” Calloway reached over and grabbed the mug by the handle, letting it swing from her fingers. “I need more coffee. May I get your anything while I’m up?”

~Shara Calloway, XO

“No, but thank you, Commander,” T’Mor said in acknowledgment. She sat down away from the ‘mess’ so as not to intrude on her work.

“Okay,” Shara said, moving to the replicator. She recycled the empty mug and ordered a fresh coffee with a touch of milk.

T’Mor was small, not only physically short and on the thinner side, but the way she tensed up in her seat to take up as little space as possible. In contrast, her slightly messy jet black hair seemed to have the opposite in mind. If it weren’t so short it might have been distracting. Early 40s was young by Vulcan standards and she looked it. Even her disposition and posture reflected that of a cautious college student rather than a seasoned officer.

T’Mor brought her hands to her lap, and her gaze drifted after the Commander.

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor, Scientist|

Returning to the table, Calloway moved with the sense that she was in complete control of her body, her movements all perfectly choreographed. She slid into her chair and took a sip, turning herself to face T’Mor.

“So, welcome aboard. We’re sorting out the department head situation hopefully soon, but that means you and I get to meet right away. You come to us from the Ark Angel. Can you fill me in on that situation?”

~Shara Calloway, XO

T’Mor tensed up slightly.

“I…” she trailed off before she even began. What should she say? That she failed? That she couldn’t handle the pressure? Or that she’d prefer not to be in change, and instead just quietly work on her own projects?

“It was not optimal,” she stated.

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor, Scientist|

Shara let silence fill the space even as she took in T’Mor and the tiny details that spoke volumes. At length, she gave a slow nod. “Sometimes an assignment isn’t what we want or need, and while sometimes we have to suck it up and make the best of it, sometimes we simply have to do what is right for us. It happens,” she said a half shrug. “But you were assigned to us here, and this is no ordinary assignment. We deal with sensitive missions, sometimes ones with high stakes. Each and every person has a responsibility to work with each other. We demand a lot out of people here, because if we don’t, bad outcomes are the result. Will that be a problem?” She had the woman’s file, but a file never told her the whole picture. Right now she needed to understand, and understanding did not come automatically.

~Shara Calloway, XO

“I am prepared to give my best for any mission.” she affirmed. Which was absolutely true, even if her best wasn’t what others often expected.

“That will not be a problem.”

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor, Scientist|

Shara smiled softly. “That’s all I ever expect, even if others might say otherwise,” she said with a smirk. “Tell me what you think you are most suited for work wise.” It might seem like an arbitrary question, but Shara never said or did anything without intention. Well, almost nothing, but the rare instances were entirely unrelated to the situation at hand.

~Shara Calloway, XO

“My specialization is in Botanical sciences,” she explained,

“However I am familiar with related fields as well, chemistry and genetics being my stronger areas.”

Her skin flushed a little while talking about her areas of study. She was timid, and talking about her strengths too much felt like bragging.

“I work well alone, but if an assignment requires cooperation then so be it.”

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor, Scientist|

Shara nodded. It sounded a lot like someone else she knew. Both the desire to work alone, but also the discomfort about talking about their strengths. Shara leaned in, bracing an arm on the table and giving T’Mor a relaxed smile. “Tell me more about these different fields. What parts do you really like about them?”

~Shara Calloway, XO

“Like, Commander?” T’Mor questioned,

“That is a rather emotionally charged term,”

Shara tilted her head and took in T’Mor rather intently.

She wondered if it was because her more emotional nature was coming through too strongly. It was possible, as this was a big change from her previous assignments.

“If you are inquiring about my specific focuses, I believe it was my expertise in genetics that qualified me for assignment aboard this ship.”

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor, Scientist|

She wobbled her head back and forth. “That’s sort of what I’m getting out. ‘Like’ is just a word for enjoyment. It isn’t an inherently emotional state the way I think many interpret it. But at least for me, I’m trying to understand why you have these areas of expertise. It might seem like an arbitrary detail, but it tell me something about people.” Shara leaned forward, a slight smile on her face. “Understanding people has been the cornerstone of most of my Starfleet career. Right now, I seek understanding so that I can make sure we’re doing the best for the people assigned to this ship. Our assignments are complicated and difficult. We need people at their best, doing something they feel driven to do. So when i ask what it is you like about genetics, I’m asking what about studying that subject intrigues you enough to continue working in it.”

~Shara Calloway, XO

“Very well, I believe I understand,” T’Mor said, slightly relieved.

“My interest of genetics is primarily in how it relates to the application of my knowledge of botanical sciences. Up until this point my focus has been on genetic engineering and research, primary for agricultural purposes. But… I believe this assignment comes with a different focus.”

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor, Scientist|

“It may,” Shara said with a mod. “But, there are a myriad of possibilities that we may face. We could be assigned to help a research project somewhere, and the reason a science vessel isn’t tasked with the job could be highly political or more dangerous than a standard mission. There may be classified components that other vessels aren’t equipped to handle.” She shrugged. “I think the most helpful thing you can have as you start this assignment is to have an open mind. And expect the unexpected.”

“Did you have any questions, about the ship, our missions, myself? I’ll answer what I can.”

~Shara Calloway, XO

Expect the unexpected, leave it to human idioms to be prime examples of paradoxical thinking.

“Yes, perhaps you could clarify something for me,” T’Mor replied,

“Perhaps it is unimportant but, what is the policy regarding… civilian contact?”

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor, Scientist|