Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Deck 14, Meeting Room- Learning to Share

Posted by Lieutenant Shock (Chief of Security) in Deck 14, Meeting Room- Learning to Share

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Deck 14, Meeting Room- Learning to Share
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

This is did not start well. He needed to diffuse. The best way would not to make a conversation about why he had done as he has done, whether or not she was offended, why it was important for her to make such a note out loud. Not finding an appropriate reply, the most logical would be to exchange pleasantries, which he would have to initiate, as she thought it more important to comment on his chiming a door than wishing him welcome. Curious were the priorities she had. No matter. Work needed to move on.

“Hello, Ms Calloway”, he said, and took a seat, not too close to Calloway, along the round table. He too had brought his pad with him. He was ready to get to business. Was she?

– Lt Shock (COS)

Faye studied him with her stormy grey-green eyes for a moment before she sipped on her coffee. Alex teased her about how her brain could do rather extraordinary things but she could also be clueless with people. Funny that. Even more ironic given her job. “Hi,” she said, followed by an awkward silence before she added, “Good morning.”

“Before we discuss Project Bastion related things, is there anything you had to bring up first?”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

He did. He wanted to go over some security clearances for his senior staff, like Kleine and Ducante. But he sensed now was not the time. Most of that could be dealt with over pad notifications, automation, and through other ways, at some point. It was not needed now. Perhaps once he understood more of Bastion, he would be able to gauge what could be done with clearances, and whether it was the right moment.

“No. Please, go ahead.”

– Lt Shock (COS)

“Okay,” she said simply. “I still need to talk to Engineering about organizing the work details. Each will be vetted by me based on clearance levels. The overall plan is much like I had operated on the Manhattan. We install the system in key locations on key decks and work our way out from there. High traffic but essential areas like the Bridge will be done at night. Most likely when it comes to the more secure areas I myself will be working on upgrade, but I can share the work. I just need final approval on the completed work.” Faye paused to see if he he had any initial questions or concerns.

~Faye Calloway, CIO

Calloway had not mentioned anything that was directly relevant to Shock or Security – it was as if she was simply telling him what she was already going to do, and that the information was more of a courtesy than anything Shock actually needed to know. Moreover, what she said was loose and vague and nothing new. He still remembered their interaction re Manhattan in the conference room too keenly, when he was the receptor of several of her emotional, unnecessary and illogical outbursts. Still, he wished to tread carefully, so that, perhaps, the two may build some kind of alliance.

“I see,” he said. “By what standards will you vet the engineering staff? My office is suitable for assisting in that vetting. I am also curious as to how your procedures might differ from Security’s.”

He paused.

“Perhaps there is room for both of us to learn from another,” he added, stretching out a metaphorical hand.

– Lt Shock (COS)

“Well, it won’t be just the engineering staff, but anyone that is involved in the project, including your staff,” Faye said simply. She inhaled deeply and blew out a breath. “This isn’t mean to bruise egos or offend anyone, but given the threat we are facing, it is important that we have not just people we both trust, but whom also understand the delicacy of this project. So that means, I will be checking personnel records to make sure there’s nothing untoward that would indicate, say for example, a propensity for gossip. On a ship this big, the rumour mill can be it’s own challenge and it’s important that we make sure no aspect of this project ends up in the middle of it.”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

Calloway’s response made Shock unsure whether she had accepted Shock’s metaphorical hand. Perhaps he needed to be more direct. She had answered his direct question but not what he had hinted. If he could adapt to a direct and clear form of communication, perhaps the room for misinterpretation and conflict would be reduced. He was still tiptoeing around her – again, metaphorically.

“That is prudent. We will do the vetting together, correct?” He wanted to add how reflexivity and double-taking and validation of interpretations would made the vetting process more confident, accurate, and reduce the risk for error in judgment. But having that conversation now would direct Calloway from his direct question. As such, he now decided to test his hypothesis of more direct and clear language, to see if that would help him understand her (and thereby her understanding him better too), and for them to build up a good rapport and alliance for their future work together.

– Lt Shock (COS)

Faye simply gazed at him. “Yes. Though I get a veto on anyone. However, if you firmly believe that someone is important to the project and I should revisit them as an option, I’m willing to do so provided you have sufficient evidence. Did you have any criteria or steps you wish to add to the process?” She was focused on the task at hand, but no one could say she wouldn’t listen to other opinions.

~Faye Calloway, CIO

“Agreed,” he said, softening his posture slightly. “I believe psychological fitness is one I go by often – there is the psychological evaluation for fitness of service, but I like to see a firmer one – one for matters of this kind of security.”

– Lt Shock (COS)