Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Nathan Hawthorne (Chief Operations/Helm Officer) in XO Office- New Officer reporting for duty

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Finn Grady (First Officer) in XO Office- New Officer reporting for duty

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Nathan Hawthorne (Chief Operations/Helm Officer) in XO Office- New Officer reporting for duty
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻
After completing his Medical and Psych evaluations, Nathan was eager to start piloting this ship, He had to report to the XO before doing that, he stopped outside the officer in which the XO should reside , did a check of his uniform to make sure he was presentable, when he was satisfied that he was, he pressed the chime and waited

Lt(j.g) Nathan Hawthorne
Helm/Ops
Uss Chimera

Finn glanced up from his desk. He wasn’t certain that he had been expecting anyone but he tended to keep an open door policy for whenever the crew need to stop by and see him.

“Come on in,” he called out.

Lieutenant Commander Grady - XO

With permission to enter, Nathan did just that, he stopped at a reasonable distance from the XO’s desk

“Lt Hawthorne reporting for duty Sir, I have completed my boarding medical and pysch evaluations”

Lt(j.g) Nathan Hawthorne
Helm/Ops
Uss Chimera

Finn rose to greet the new officer, “Ah, Lieutenant, welcome! Please come in and have a seat.”

He gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk and then sat back down in his own chair, leaning back slightly.

“Thank you for getting those boarding evals done so quickly. I know it can be a little obnoxious sometimes checking those boxes, but it keeps the counselor and the CMO off my back for sure,” he gave a quick grin. “So how have you been settling in otherwise?”

Lieutenant Commander Grady - XO

“Thank you Sir”

Nathan said taking the seat thay was offered

“No problem Sir , things need doing as much as we all dislike doing it , truth be told I haven’t had much time to settle in yet, the Chimera is definatly an impressive ship though , I can’t wait to get in the pilot’s seat.....and of course all the Operations that come for a ship like this, I may have bitten off more than i can chew . time will tell of course , one things for certain I’m definatly up for the challenge”

He said with a smile

Lt(j.g) Nathan Hawthorne
Helm/Ops
Uss Chimera

The XO returned his smile, “I have no doubt that you are up for the challenge, Lieutenant, and I have faith that whoever put your name into the hat for this position doesn’t think this is too big a bite for you either. She’s definitely big and, with all of the marine and fighter business, the operations side of things can definitely get busy. But, you’ve got the training and experience to fall back on.”

He pondered the lieutenant for a brief moment before leaning forward and folding his hands on his desk. “So tell me a little about your goals, what’s the biggest thing you hope to accomplish now that you’re here on the Chimera?”

Lieutenant Commander Grady - XO

Nathan considered the question for a moment before answering.

“I think my biggest goal, sir, is to become the kind of department head the Captain, yourself, and the crew can depend on.”

He rested his hands comfortably on his knees, his expression thoughtful.

“Flying has always been my passion, and if I’m honest, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than at the helm. But accepting the position of Chief Operations Officer means my responsibility extends well beyond piloting the ship.”

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Operations touches just about every part of the Chimera. Whether it’s power distribution, sensor coordination, communications, transporter operations, or flight control, my department supports everyone else’s ability to do their jobs. If Operations is running smoothly, most people never have to think about us—and I think that’s the mark of a good department.”

He paused briefly before continuing.

“My first priority is getting to know my team. Every ship has its own routines, strengths, and personalities, and I want to understand how everyone works before I start making changes. Once I’ve earned their trust, I want to build a department that’s efficient, adaptable, and one the rest of the crew knows they can rely on.”

Nathan’s expression became more earnest.

“As for me personally, I want to keep growing as an officer. Every assignment is another opportunity to learn from those with more experience. If, somewhere down the line, that leads to greater responsibility or even command, I’d welcome it. But for now, my focus is serving this ship to the best of my ability.”

He met the XO’s eyes with quiet confidence.

“I’ve heard nothing but good things about the Chimera, sir. I’m proud to be here, and I’ll do everything I can to justify the faith Starfleet has placed in me.”

Lt(j.g) Nathan Hawthorne
Helm/Ops
Uss Chimera

Finn nodded back at the officer, returning his gaze, “I would say those are some great goals, Lieutenant. The Chimera is a great ship and her crew has been amazing in the time that I’ve served here. I think you will find the same thing about your staff, they will accept you and give you back the same respect you give them. And an efficient Operations department is great for the efficiency of the ship overall, so I look forward to seeing that happen. Remind me, is this your first position as a department head?”

Lieutenant Commander Grady - XO

Nathan nodded once.

“Yes, sir. It is.”

There was no hesitation in his voice, nor any attempt to disguise the significance of the admission.

“My previous assignments were as a Flight Control Officer and later as a senior helm officer. I was fortunate to work under some excellent Operations Chiefs who taught me a great deal about what it takes to keep a ship running efficiently.”

A faint smile crossed his face.

“I won’t pretend stepping into a department head’s role isn’t a little daunting. The responsibility is certainly greater than anything I’ve had before. But I also see it as an opportunity.”

He leaned forward slightly, his posture still relaxed but attentive.

“I don’t intend to walk in and change everything just because I’m the new chief. My first priority is to learn how this department operates, get to know the officers and enlisted personnel under me, and understand what already works well. Once I’ve done that, if there are improvements to be made, I’d rather make them alongside the team than impose them.”

Nathan met the XO’s eyes.

“I’ve always believed that respect has to be earned, sir. If my people know I’ll support them, listen to them, and expect the same professionalism from myself that I expect from them, then I think the department will take care of itself.”

He smiled modestly.

“And if I find myself out of my depth, I’d rather ask for guidance than let my pride get in the way. I imagine there’s no shortage of experience aboard the Chimera to learn from.”

Lt(j.g) Nathan Hawthorne
Helm/Ops
Uss Chimera

Finn nodded, “Yes, there is plenty of experience around here. And I’m always happy to help out. I think you have the right ideas for coming in and gaining the respect of those who report to you. If they know they can trust you they will be ready to jump to any orders you give. I hope you will find that I try to run the senior staff that way too. You all are the experts in your fields, I’m here to support you in getting your job done and filtering things up to the captain.”

Lieutenant Commander Grady - XO

Nathan nodded thoughtfully, encouraged by what he was hearing. It was exactly the sort of command environment he had hoped to find.

“I appreciate that, sir.”

He smiled slightly before continuing.

“I’ve always believed the best crews are the ones where people know they’re trusted to do the jobs they’ve trained for. Knowing that the chain of command supports its department heads rather than second-guesses them makes a tremendous difference.”

He paused briefly.

“I also know that trust works both ways. I’ll do everything I can to make sure the confidence you’ve placed in me is well deserved. If I ever run into something beyond my experience, I won’t hesitate to ask for advice. I’d rather learn from those who’ve already faced a challenge than let my pride get in the way.”

Nathan sat back slightly, his expression relaxed but sincere.

“From everything you’ve told me, it sounds like the Chimera has built exactly the kind of culture I’d hoped to be a part of. I’m looking forward to getting to know my department and contributing wherever I can—whether that’s keeping Operations running smoothly or taking the helm when the ship needs me.”

A faint grin appeared.

“And hopefully I’ll spend more time solving problems than creating them.”

Lt(j.g) Nathan Hawthorne
Helm/Ops
Uss Chimera

Finn returned Nathan’s grin. “I also hope that you spend more time solving problems than creating them, it makes my job easier. But we aren’t all work around here either, there are plenty of opportunities to get to know your fellow crew members and form good bonds there. I think you are going to fit in well here.”

He shifted in his chair again and gestured toward the door. “I don’t want to keep you from all the other parts of joining a starship family, but my door is always open if you need anything. Did you have any other questions or concerns before I let you go?”

Lieutenant Commander Grady - XO