Posted by Ensign Wiles Osten (Security Officer) in Trouble in Paradise (Tag Holloway)

Posted by Captain Molly Holloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Trouble in Paradise (Tag Holloway)

Posted by Ensign Wiles Osten (Security Officer) in Trouble in Paradise (Tag Holloway)
Posted by… suppressed (13) by the Post Ghost! 👻
(snip)
Wiles wasn’t quite sure what to make of Molly’s “rough week.” He had experienced a few tough weeks in his life, but none of them had prompted Wiles to answer the door to his Starfleet quarters with a phaser in hand. If Wiles was talking with almost any other officer, this conversation would be going very differently. There would have been questions about paranoia, searching for a pattern of violent tendencies, investigating holodeck usage. The more he thought about it, the more Wiles’ security training made him uncomfortable sitting with the earlier actions of both the colonel and the captain. Tension like that on a Starfleet ship, especially from two of the senior officers, was worrying.

But those instincts were warring with Ensign Osten’s awareness of his rank and insecurity about the newness of his position on the Dresden. So for now, he said nothing of it.

“Um,” Wiles stammered for a second, pulled back into the present moment by Molly’s question, “well. Perhaps this isn’t the most endearing answer, Captain, but honestly, I’m not sure. Getting here, to where I am now, has been such a huge goal for the last several years. To be here now… I don’t think I’ve had enough time to soak it all in yet. Of course I am here to protect the crew from threats external and internal,” at which he winced mentally after saying it, “but I haven’t quite had time to think of a new ambition, I suppose.”

(Ensign Osten, Security Division Three Officer)

With a new bite of her pancake stack, Molly’s thoughts went back to her Ensign years. To the new responsibilities being placed on her shoulders, to the uncertainty of her actions, to the enemies she had made on the first few days. Looking back now, she realized ‘enemies’ was a strong word… all she wanted had been to be left alone.

“Everyone has an ambition, Mr. Osten.” Holloway finally said. “Even I had one, if you can believe it.” She chuckled slightly stabbing the pancakes with her fork. “I wanted to lay my head low and be a security officer for my remaining days. It was a steady job that I enjoy and that allowed me to go about my business. I could see myself getting to Chief of Security, maybe… but if I didn’t, I was set.” She pondered for a moment. “But most people want to have their own ship, you know…?”

Wiles nodded in agreement as he stared blankly into his pancakes. It was a bit uncanny how easily she had been able to pick up or predict his feelings. Again, he wondered what he had gotten himself into by putting himself on Holloway’s radar.

In general, Molly had always been very oblivious to the body language of the people around her. Her Security training at the Academy had made her a little more aware, but in a situation like the present one, she wouldn’t have thought of it twice. It had been Intelligence that had polished the paranoia with the need for constantly reading others, and there had been something about the officer sitting opposite her that had been bothering Molly for a few minutes. And now she had finally placed her finger on it.

With a tired sigh, Holloway placed her fork down on the edge of her plate, before leaning against the back of her chair and crossing her arms in front of her. Had she really thought that her rank and position on board the Dresden would make a Starfleet trained Security officer overlook her earlier behavior? What was she trying to mitigate? What fires was she trying to put out? Hers or Cal’s? What was she afraid of?

For a moment, Molly silently examined Osten without even realizing she was doing it. When she finally spoke, her attitude was somber. Almost as if a realization had dawned on her own mind.

“You have questions…” Holloway finally said. “You’re wondering what it is that caused me to open my door with a phaser ready to fire, aren’t you? You’re wondering why Colonel Harris acted the way he did, and you’re possibly also wondering if there’s something deeper going on.” She paused to catch her breath before continuing. “I’ve had my own ship, Ensign. Don’t think I don’t know how bad it looks. And I am not here to make excuses for Colonel Harris’s behavior.” She sighed again, this time in a more resigned fashion. “I know there are a lot of people in this ship that are afraid of my uniform or my rank, but I assure you, there’s no reason for it. What is on your mind?”

Capt. Holloway, CIO

Ensign Osten blinked and began formulating his response. Then he shook his head, battling the instinct to tread carefully. Holloway had just given him permission to be upfront, after all. “I’m wondering why the Dresden doesn’t have a ship’s counselor, and if it should,” he blurted out. Wiles hurried to explain. “I would rather have referred this incident to a counselor, I know it’s not my place or my business or my skillset to intervene necessarily. But I believe that the security of a starship can be compromised in more ways than just physical.”

(Ensign Osten, Security Division Three Officer)

The question caught Molly off guard. She had expected something about Cal, or even something about her, but she hadn’t expected a reference to the lack of a counselor on board the ship. The kid was definitely insightful. However, the smile she gave the Ensign didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“You’re right. The Dresden should definitely have a counselor.” Holloway finally said. “However, they don’t really seem to stick around…” At the same time, Molly thanked the absence of a counselor on board, as that way, there was not one for Osten to report the incident to. Her file was already bad enough without more occurrences. “Rest assured, Colonel Harris is not actively keeping us away from one. If anything he wants a counselor on board more than any of us.” So that way he could force me into appointments… Her mind completed, but she didn’t say it.

“You said you believe that the security of a starship can be compromised in more ways than just physical.” Holloway pondered for a moment. “Are you worried that the security of the Dresden may be compromised due to the current absence of a counselor?”

Capt. Holloway, CIO

Wiles shifted nervously. “Well… yes, that too, when you put it like that. But I guess that’s not exactly what I was implying.” He looked Holloway directly in the eyes, emboldened. “You and Colonel Harris are the two most senior officers on this ship. If you have conflict or stress that’s unresolved… it could impair your judgement during a dangerous situation. If your reasons for distress were separate that would still be the case, but considering your issues seem to be with each other… that is a dangerous recipe for lack of trust or teamwork when we need it most. A counselor would hopefully know how to solve that problem.”

Wait… was Osten suggesting she and Cal should attend… couples therapy?

Wiles turned his attention to his pancakes, cutting a mouthful and promptly jamming it in his mouth to stop himself from talking.

(Ensign Osten, Security Divison Three Officer)

There was a moment when Holloway seemed perplexed. It was clear that she had not expected that particular reply. And then, without being able to contain it any longer, Molly laughed. Heartily, genuinely, drawing a few glances from the tables around them. From someone as stoic and stiff as Holloway, it was weird to even picture that she was capable of such a thing, let alone witness it first hand.

As Molly’s laughing fit died off, the Intel Chief wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before speaking. A wide smile still on her face. “Okay, I see your point… but I need you to understand a few things.” She took a moment to catch her breath. “Yes, Colonel Harris and I are two of the most senior officers on this ship. However, even though I have a higher rank than most, I don’t hold positional authority over Commander Manning. I am not part of the Command staff, and my opinion only matters in regards to Intelligence. The running of this ship doesn’t pass by me, and I certainly do not influence Command decisions. Even if my involvement with Colonel Harris could potentially bring me that privilege – which it doesn’t as he would never let me and I would never want it – but even if it did, Commander Manning would never allow it. Me and her don’t see eye to eye in a lot of things, but I respect her integrity.”

Holloway took another bite of her pancakes. “Now… I appreciate your concern over mine and Colonel Harris’s relationship, and I understand that at times, it might be the talk of the lower decks. However, if it puts you at ease, there’s no unresolved conflict between the two of us. The only ’stress’ as you put it…” Molly added air quotes. “… between us both is the matter of our previous mission. He wants to know exactly what happened while I was off the Dresden, and I don’t want to talk about it. It’s a classified matter, I’ve filed enough reports, I’ve spoken with enough people, and I know how he’s going to react. Colonel Harris has had some… situations in the past that have shaped how protective he is of the people in his life, and sometimes that makes him cross boundaries he shouldn’t in his personal life. The phaser that you had the misfortune to see was intended as a statement. I am not so mad at him that I was willing to off him, and he is not so mad at me that he was willing to attack me. He’s a Marine, I’m an Intelligence operative. We have a particular set of personality types and they clash sometimes. He’s a drama queen and puts on a show for the whole ship to see. That’s all.” Her tone was vaguely sardonic. An indication that she wasn’t happy with it. “But I appreciate your concern, Ensign. You can rest assured. There’s nothing going on between us that will ever interfere with the functioning of the Dresden or the safety of her crew.“ Holloway smiled. A genuine smile. In a way, it was endearing. She was so telling this encounter to her sister whenever she got the chance. “If it makes you feel better, I will bring your concerns to the Colonel. Or…” Molly pondered for a moment. She sighed. “I don’t mingle a lot with the crew, so I don’t usually know what… rumors… if you will, are going around the corridors. You probably know this better than me. Is there any course of action that you see best, as far as putting the crew more at ease with this subject?”

Capt. Holloway, CIO

Ensign Osten was taken off-guard by Holloway’s laughter, and after a second of surprise he offered an awkward smile and small chuckle, but his eyes flickered as if he didn’t get the joke.

Then, Wiles was further stunned by the Captain’s candor. He had not expected to gain so much insight into Harris, Holloway, and their relationship. His mouth opened slightly as if to protest the divulging of the personal information, but he never managed to refuse the detailed view of the situation. He did relax as Holloway talked, her words reassuring him that perhaps their behavior wasn’t as abnormal as Wiles had thought, when she put it that way. He believed her, and eventually reciprocated with a bashful smile of his own.

“Thank you, Captain. For sharing all that. I apologize if I overreacted. This is my first posting, after all,” he said sheepishly. “Some part of me might be overeager to tackle security problems that aren’t even there.”

Molly shot Osten a soft smile. “It was a valid concern, Ensign. It is better to try to tackle security problems that may not be there than to ignore the ones that are there.” She smiled a little wider. “I was a security Ensign once too. I can relate.”

He hesitated at Holloway’s request for advice. He wasn’t sure that he was in any position to be giving an intelligence officer advice on anything, much less how to make people perceive you a certain way. “Umm, I mean you could just get dinner together in the mess? Or something? Sorry, that sounds dumb. I just mean a show of unity might be a good way to mitigate the rumors of discordance.”

(Ensign Osten, Security Division Three Officer)

Holloway’s expression froze for a moment, surprised. Almost as if Osten’s suggestion of mingling with the crew was an idea that had never crossed her mind. And in all truth, it hadn’t.

“Hmm. I never thought of that, actually…” Molly cut her last remaining pancake. “That doesn’t sound dumb at all. You know… mingling with the crew is not exactly my forte… it never has been…” She thought back for a moment, to her previous postings, when everything seemed much easier. Half of the times in the past, Ashton had been the driving force behind her when it came to socialization. “Even when I had my own ship I had trouble mingling. My—“ Her words stopped abruptly as she corrected her sentence. “A friend of mine was the one that would force me to do it…”

Holloway smiled sadly for a moment. It was as if she needed someone to talk to but didn’t know how to do it. Her mind going back to the party Ashton had thrown when she was first made Executive Officer. Cal had walked in, played the piano, and Belle had sang with him. Everything was so different now. That ship had been her family, and all of them were gone, one way or another. Cal was the one that remained.

“Thank you for the advice.” Molly finally said looking back to the officer across from her. “I might actually take it.” She paused for a moment, poking at her pancake. “So, aside from solving security matters that may or may not be there, how are you settling in on the Dresden?”

Capt. Holloway, CIO

bump :)

OOC: Apologies, I probably should have taken a LOA over the last week or so, but I thought I would be able to post more than I have been. Thank you for the bump!

OOC: No worries! I apologize for taking so long to reply as well… traveling completely took my energy away the past week.

Wiles again got the distinct impression that he should dig deeper, that maybe there was something the Captain wanted to say and would say if pressed on it. But his modest nature made him hold his tongue yet again. It was a difficult dance for Wiles, to be respectful of his superior while also testing the professional boundaries that seemed to be a little more lax than he had expected of Holloway.

Ensign Osten simply nodded his head in acknowledgement of the appreciation. He smiled bashfully at her joking jab, then sat back in his chair slightly. “I feel as if I’ve had more time to settle in here than I did on my cadet cruise, so that has been surprising and welcomed. It’s given me some time to process the… aftermath of that mission. The Potterfield Incident, if you’ve heard of it.”

If Holloway had heard of the Potterfield Incident, she would know that the USS Challenger had been sent to rescue the USS Potterfield, which had been infected by a parasitic plant-lifeform that practically zombified the Potterfield crew. In the process of recovering the remaining Potterfield crew members, one ensign had died, and several others had been infected with this fatal infection. Osten seemed to imply he was one of them, although obviously the efforts of the medical and science teams of the Challenger had saved him from the worst version of his possible fates.

Molly nodded slightly. “Heard of it in passing. I steer clear of most Starfleet Command news, to be honest.” She gave Osten an apologetic smile. “Too much noise… plus I don’t answer to them anymore. Not directly at least… and no one I know was directly involved.”

“Anyways,” Osten continued on, “my assistant division officer, NEnsign Astin, she and I have gotten to know each other pretty well already, and we seem to click. We’ll be a good team, I think. It’s been nice to make a fast friend on a new ship.” He smiled lightly at that.

(Ensign Osten, Security Division Three Officer)

Bump

Bump (also I need to start paying attention to which character I’m posting under now, whoops…)

OOC: No worries, been there and done that myself! :P – Joana

IC:
A soft smile settled in Holloway’s lips, mirroring the one of the Junior Officer in front of her. For a moment she seemed empathetic… almost motherly even. “First posts can be hard. It’s good that you’re making friends. You’ll soon find out they are what keeps you grounded.” Molly sighed longingly. “Starships may be big, but they are still closed spaces we’re bound to spend a long time in, seeing the same faces every day. Was Ensign Astin on the Potterfield mission as well?”

Capt. Holloway, CIO

Wiles nodded in agreement as Holloway sighed, then shook his head as he answered her question. “No, she said she transferred to the Dresden just a week or so before I did. Lieutenant Ashur introduced us.” Ensign Osten paused before attempting to venture forward as innocently as possible. “I imagine he’s one of the faces you see every day. Do you mind if I ask what your impressions are of him, assuming you’ve been working together for some time?”

(Ensign Osten, Security Division Three Officer)

Molly raised an eyebrow. It wasn’t every day that someone asked for her opinion on another crew member, let alone on one of the Department Heads. To be fair, most members of the crew seemed to find her unapproachable, and her lack of social skills didn’t help matters further. That had probably been the toughest change from commanding a starship to being an Intelligence operative. She missed the interpersonal relationships that she had been forced to create. She missed worrying about the well-being of the crew. She missed feeling like she was part of something bigger.

“I’ll have to tell you that I don’t usually see a lot of faces on a daily basis, Ensign. My work is more lonely than most. And it’s not my place to have a say on the day-to-day running of the Dresden’s Security department.” After all, Molly was a glorified Unclassified Information Acquisition officer. Most of the time between missions, she sat in the war room, prying over subspace channels, monitoring everything that went on around them, checking whether bits and pieces of information had any intelligence value. That had been the price of choosing to remain on board when Cal had offered her the Chief Intelligence Officer position on his ship. Molly knew him well, and she knew the kind of missions the Dresden was about to set off to. And Cal knew she was damn good at her job. “However,…” Molly continued. “I was the one that recommended him for the Chief of Security spot. That should tell you what I think about Lieutenant Ashur and his abilities.” Holloway smiled softly. “I’ve walked your shoes, Ensign, and I’ve walked Lt. Ashur’s too. Anyone that knows me on board this vessel will tell you that I do not trust anyone. Let’s just say that not only do I trust Lt. Ashur’s judgement completely when it comes to the Dresden’s security, as I would trust him with my life.” Molly paused for a brief second. “Which as a matter of fact, I have.” She chuckled lightly, but it was forced, hinting at a painful memory. “Does that answer your question?”

Capt. Holloway, CIO

Given their conversation so far, Wiles was a little more prepared for the captain’s candor this time around, but that did not stop him from blinking in surprise or prevent his mouth from parting slightly as she spoke. He nodded wordlessly as she posed her question. He put his last forkful of pancakes in his mouth to stall for time to respond. He swallowed. “Thank you, Captain. Maybe I let my curiosity get the best of me. Of course I’m sure that Lieutenant Ashur is a model officer, I hope I didn’t imply otherwise.”

(Ensign Osten, Security Division three Officer)

Finishing her own pancakes, Molly chuckled softly. Her mouth still somewhat full.

When she finished her last piece, Holloway continued. “Not at all, Ensign. It is normal to want to know about our superior officers. After all, their opinion of us may determined our future.” She remembered how much she had hated the Earhart’s Chief of Security when she first was assigned to the ship. They bickered constantly, but in the end, the woman had been the one recommending her for the posting on board the Montgomery. Molly still wondered if she hadn’t done it just to get rid of her. “And see, here’s where you got my words wrong. I never said Lt. Ashur is a model officer. He absolutely is not. Neither am I, and neither are most of the senior officers on board a Starfleet vessel. But many times that’s what makes the difference. A model officer is predictable. They act by the book, and they are not very flexible most of the time.” Molly wiped her lips before placing her fork on her plate and pushing it slightly away from her on the table. “But let me tell you something that takes a while for some officers to understand, especially when fresh out of the Academy.” Molly smiled softly. “There’s no model mission. When you step on a starship for the first time you must be willing to adapt yourself to any situation that gets thrown your way. That means that sometimes, a mission will require you to be flexible enough to throw away, or at least to thwart, your beliefs or your ethics system, and you will have to be prepared to do it. There’s no model for a good officer, Mr. Osten. Just people that are good at adapting themselves to what comes in their way. Lt. Ashur is one of those officers. Strive to be one too. Because there will come a time when you’ll be forced to choose between the mission, the crew, or yourself. And when that time comes, there will be no right choice. Just consequences that you will have to be able to face. Lt. Ashur has made the choice and faced the consequences. And that’s what makes him a exceptional officer.”

Capt. Holloway, CIO