Posted by Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in Wanderings and Wonderings (XO)

Posted by Lieutenant Pretha Oberon (Security Officer / CRIT Leader) in Wanderings and Wonderings (XO)

Posted by Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in Wanderings and Wonderings (XO)
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Pretha was awake.

She hadn’t been sleeping well of late so the woman had taken to wandering the ship in an unofficial security capacity the last few nights to wear herself out. Making a final sweep of this deck, she entered the Officer’s lounge and glanced around. A body she didn’t recognize was in the room and she coughed to get their attention. The dark hair and back of the person was all she saw, so it could have been one of the officers she had yet to meet. But better to be sure than have some enlisted folks get in trouble up here late at night. “Evening…” was all she said.

Pretha was in her uniform but it had been on her all day and certainly wasn’t in ‘inspection’ glory. It was rumpled and, like her nearly exhausted look, was ready for a refresher. Her hair was loose around the edges of her usually regulatory bun, and was tucked haphazardly behind her ears as if, it too, wanted to be freed from its confines of the day.

Lt Pretha Oberon
CRIT Ldr

Mal’athar was in the lounge, getting her coffee - Kicking Horse Decaf Dark Roast. She couldn’t get it in the officer’s mess so she was getting it here. She heard the cough and she told herself to be calm. If it was that over inflated, entitled, arrogant, creepy chef again, she needed to be calm. Her uniform was clean and crisp and her bun in place. It always was. Cpt Cochrane had encouraged her to relax and have fun and not always be on duty, and she would, eventually. But she’d learned the hard way not to ‘let loose’ too soon. She turned, seeing the security officer and then recognized her face. “Lt Oberon isn’t it?” She walked over towards the woman and held out her hand. “Cmdr Mal’athar. Care to join me?”

Mal’athar, XO

As soon as the uniformed officer turned, Pretha realized who it was. “Yes, Ma’am. Though Pretha is easier on the lips. And please, I didn’t want to intrude. I am just not used to anyone being in here at this hour. Wanted to be sure nothing was wrong.” She held out her hand and they exchanged a decent shake. Pretha was no pro at hand shakes, but she was capable of making it not seem awkward and limp. “I hope you are settling in all right, Ma’am. I don’t want to bother you if you are here for solace. I can set the door to privacy if you wish.”

Pretha
CRIT Ldr

“Cmdr works just fine. Ma’am makes me feel old.” In truth Shedda avoided ‘Ma’am’ because she hated drawing attention to her gender because more of than not it reminded people she was female and Orion. “No intrusion, the lounge is for everyone. I just came looking for a cup of coffee and a walk. Oh I don’t need the privacy setting, I have quarters for that.” Shedda grinned gently. “So what is our CRIT leader up to at this hour?”

Mal’athar, XO

“Commander it is, then.” She smiled and nodded respectfully. “And I heard the coffee up here is exceptional. I am more of a tea drinker myself, thanks to my last companion.” She smiled.

When the XO questioned Pretha about her wanderings, she had a moment of panic. She wasn’t officially on duty so she could, logically, be reprimanded for skulking about the ship. Especially in Officer Country. “Wandering myself out, I suppose. Trouble sleeping the last couple nights.” Realizing such a comment could land her in the CNS’s office, she raised a hand to ward off any concern. “Nothing to worry about. Happens occasionally when I get something stuck in my head. But I figured I would walk the decks and then head to bed.” In truth, she would probably wander another hour before heading to her quarters. She hadn’t started yawning yet and that wasn’t a good sign for her trying to get sleep. “I check in here occasionally because enlisted like to sneak in late nights for a drink or snack cause of convenience in their own rounds. Just trying to be sure to discourage it, I suppose.”

Pretha
CRIT Ldr