Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Samuel Andrew McIntyre (CNS) in Captain ‘s Ready Room

Posted by Captain Freja Andreassen (Commanding Officer) in Captain ‘s Ready Room

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Samuel Andrew McIntyre (CNS) in Captain ‘s Ready Room
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Upon reviewing the latest batch of orders, Freja tapped her badge, =^=Captain Andreassen to Ensign McIntyre, please report to my ready room as soon as you can.=^=

She walked to the replicator and ordered herself a coffee while she waited.

~Freja Andreassen~

The chirp of the commbadge cut cleanly through the quiet of the corridor.
Ensign Samuel McIntyre slowed to a stop for half a second as the captain’s voice came through. His hand rose instinctively to the small delta pinned to the chest of his uniform.
“McIntyre here, Captain. Acknowledged. On my way.”
The channel closed with a soft click.
McIntyre adjusted the fall of his uniform jacket and turned toward the turbolift at the end of the corridor. The doors parted with a familiar hum as he stepped inside.
“Deck One.”
The lift began its smooth ascent through the ship. McIntyre stood at ease, hands clasped lightly behind his back, his posture straight and composed. A summons directly from the captain was not something an ensign ignored or delayed. Whatever the matter was, she wanted it handled quickly.
Moments later the turbolift slowed.
Deck One.
The doors parted to reveal the quiet command level of the ship. Lighting here was slightly dimmer, calmer than the working decks below. The soft thrum of the vessel’s systems echoed faintly through the bulkheads.
McIntyre stepped out and moved down the short corridor toward the captain’s ready room. The doors were closed.
He stopped just outside, squared his shoulders, and tapped the chime beside the door.
Inside, Captain Freja Andreassen would hear the soft two-tone signal announcing his arrival.
McIntyre waited patiently in the corridor, standing tall and composed, ready to report the moment she granted entry.

Ensign Samuel A. McIntyre CUSS Chimera

“Come in,” Freja called. Hopefully, this one item on her to-do list could be easily managed.

~Freja Andreassen~

The doors to the ready room parted with a soft hydraulic whisper.
Ensign Samuel McIntyre stepped inside, his broad frame filling the doorway for a moment before he moved fully into the room. The ready room carried the quiet authority typical of a captain’s space—orderly, controlled, every item placed with purpose. His eyes took in the environment briefly out of habit before settling respectfully on Captain Andreassen.
He came to a stop a few paces in front of the desk and snapped to attention.
“Ensign McIntyre reporting as ordered, Captain.”
His voice was steady and professional, carrying the disciplined tone of someone accustomed to the chain of command. At six-foot-six and built like a reinforced bulkhead, McIntyre’s presence in the room was impossible to ignore, yet he carried himself with restraint rather than intimidation.
His hands settled behind his back at parade rest as he waited.
The faint aroma of freshly replicated coffee drifted through the ready room, and he noticed the cup near the replicator but made no comment. His focus remained on the captain.
Awaiting her instructions.

Lieutenant Jr. GradeDr. Samuel A. McIntyre
CNS USS Chimera

“I understand you have some counseling experience in your background, is that correct, Ensign?” Freja queried, choosing to jump right into it. She remembered what it was sometimes like when she stood before commanding officers who were asking her to switch her role, and how frustrating it was to stand there and engage in small talk before they finally got into it.

~Freja Andreassen~

McIntyre remained standing at parade rest as the captain spoke, her direct approach not surprising in the least. In truth, he appreciated it. There was no circling the issue, no unnecessary ceremony—just the question.
“Yes, Captain,” he replied evenly.
“My coursework at the Academy included counseling certification tracks. Conflict mediation, trauma response, and crew support protocols.” He paused briefly, choosing his words carefully. “I’ve also completed several additional qualification modules since coming aboard.”
His posture remained steady, hands clasped behind his back, though his expression showed a trace of curiosity now that the subject had been raised.
“I’m still awaiting the ultimate results for a few advanced certifications, but the counselor track is among the ones I’ve completed.”
McIntyre met the captain’s gaze respectfully.
“If I may ask, Captain—does this pertain to a counseling assignment aboard the Chimera?”

Lieutenant Jr. Grade Samuel A. McIntyre
CNS USS Chimera

“Yes, it actually does,” Freja nodded. “I need a CNS, and given our ship configuration, we are likely to see combat of some kind. We aren’t the pretty explorer ships that go off and explore new phenomena on the regular; we’re usually sent in when things go sideways to put things right side up again. As such, finding a CNS that has an understanding of combat and the mental health risks thereof, is paramount to a successful mission, in my opinion. Based on what I’ve read in your file and what you’ve just told me, I think you could be that individual, if you want it, that is?” She finished, looking at the officer to hear his response.

~Freja Andreassen~

McIntyre listened without interrupting, his posture still firm at parade rest while the captain explained her reasoning. The moment she mentioned the ship’s role—being sent where situations had already gone wrong—his expression sharpened slightly with understanding.
When she finished, he gave a small, respectful nod.
“I understand your reasoning, Captain.”
He took a brief moment before continuing, not out of hesitation, but out of professional consideration.
“My background in security means I’ve spent most of my training preparing for the kind of situations you’re describing. Combat stress, operational fatigue, post-engagement trauma—those are realities for crews on ships like this. Having someone aboard who understands both the tactical environment and the psychological toll it can take… I agree that it’s important.”
His voice remained calm and measured.
“I didn’t pursue the counseling track simply as an academic exercise. I pursued it because I’ve seen how easily capable officers can be pushed past their limits when there’s no one available to help them process what they’re carrying.”
There was a quiet sincerity in the statement, though he kept it professional.
“If you’re offering me the position of Chief Counselor, Captain… then yes. I would accept the assignment.”
He straightened slightly.
“I believe I could serve the crew well in that capacity.”
Then he added, with the proper respect for the chain of command:
“Of course, I will continue to fulfill any security responsibilities you require until a formal transfer of duty is arranged.”

Lieutenant Jr. Grade Samuel A. McIntyre
CNS USS Chimera

“Excellent, then this new rank pip is yours, the job comes with a bump to Lieutenant, Junior Grade,” Freja slid a nice box, the usual thing that contained the new hollow pip, “I’m not sure on the status of the crew psych files left from the previous counselor, so that will be your first priority until we receive mission orders.”

~Freja Andreassen~

McIntyre felt the faintest tightening in his chest as the small box slid across the desk toward him. For a moment he didn’t reach for it. The significance of the gesture hung in the quiet space of the ready room like the stillness before a starship jumped to warp.
A promotion.
Responsibility.
Trust.
Finally he extended his hand and picked up the box with careful precision. The hinge gave a soft click as he opened it. Inside, nestled in dark velvet, sat the hollow pip of a Lieutenant, Junior Grade. It was such a small thing to represent such a large change.
He studied it briefly before looking back up at Captain Freja.
“Thank you, Captain,” McIntyre said evenly, though there was a quiet weight behind his voice. “I won’t disappoint you.”
He lifted the pip from the box between his fingers. The polished metal caught the light from the viewport behind the desk, glinting softly.
“For what it’s worth,” he added with a faint hint of dry humor, “I suppose this means I’ll have to start behaving like a proper officer now.”
The moment passed with the slightest trace of a smile before his expression returned to its usual composed professionalism.
McIntyre carefully removed one of the solid pips from his collar and replaced it with the hollow one. The motion was practiced and deliberate. When he finished, he straightened his uniform slightly, glancing down briefly at the new rank before meeting the captain’s gaze again.
“As for the counselor’s files,” he continued, shifting seamlessly back to duty. “I’ll begin a full review immediately. If there are gaps in the previous psychological evaluations, I’ll schedule updated sessions with the crew.”
He paused briefly, thinking through the logistics.
“With your permission, Captain, I’d also like to make the first round informal. A counselor walking around the ship and speaking with people casually tends to get more honest results than calling everyone to the office right away.”
Another small pause.
“It also gives the crew a chance to know who they’re talking to.”
McIntyre closed the small presentation box and set it carefully on the edge of the desk.
“I’ll start with the senior staff and department heads, then work outward through the duty rotations. If there are any immediate concerns in the crew manifest, I’ll report them directly to you.”
He gave a short, respectful nod.
“Otherwise, I’ll have a preliminary psychological readiness report ready before mission orders arrive.”
For the first time since stepping into the ready room, the faintest hint of satisfaction settled across his features.
“Looks like I’ve got some work to do.”
Lieutenant Jr. Grade Samuel A. McIntyre
CNS USS Chimera

“Sounds like you have things well in hand, I’ll leave you to it, unless you have any questions for me, you are dismissed,” Freja nodded.

~Freja Andreassen~