Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Sausage and Scuttlebutt

Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in Sausage and Scuttlebutt

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Sausage and Scuttlebutt
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

A sudden glint of mischief flared in Cobb’s cerulean eyes, as he followed with, “Talking of relationships, Commander Ryder came to see me the other day.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

There was a slight, so brief was one sure it was even there, of stillness. “Did he? I would hope so, it would be extremely strange for a captain to not have a working relationship with their first officer. I would hope this isn’t the first time you two have talked.” She didn’t miss the flash of mischief in Zachariah’s eyes....she was in trouble.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

Cobb laughed and got to his feet, moving to the replicator and acquiring some fresh coffees.
“Aye, we do talk often,” he replied, “but rarely regarding…personal matters. I’d wager you know Ryder far better than I do.”

She grinned, “I’d wager I know most of the crew better than you do.” Normally that would be a true and funny statement, but there was an edge of caution to her voice wondering where Zachariah was going with that statement.

Handing her a coffee, Zachariah settled back into his seat and sipped at his own, drawing out the pause between them and watching her attempt to mask her discomfort. But then finally he relented. Enough teasing, let us get to the point.

She took the coffee. She was downing it like it was water lately. She sipped it, hot, without letting cool at all. She knew what he was doing with that long drawn out pause. She was not going to squirm. She might be, deep down inside, but she was not going to let Cobb know that. What in the name of all things Holy was Ryder talking to Cobb about? She thought he’d asked for discreet. That wasn’t discreet. Oh lords and ladies, Cobb said he didn’t care about his crew’s personal relationships as long as it didn’t interfere with their duties. Well if he had a problem, she honestly didn’t care. Casela had very little use for other’s opinions.

Ach, but that’s changed hasn’t it, Girly? It matters now. and she could hear T’Jal laughing at her.

“He wanted me to know about your relationship. Wanted my blessing, I suppose. Which of course, I was more than happy to give. He’s a good man, Cas. And you make a good match.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Casela sipped her coffee very slowly. Wanted Cobb’s blessing? Blessing for what? The color drained from her face slightly…surely not? She and Ryder were going to have a talk later. Cobb would see the flash of fire and steel cross her eyes.

She wasn’t sure what to respond to Zachariah’s statement. It was all so....personal. “Yes, he is.” She shrugged. His blessing was nice she supposed, but really, she liked Ryder enough, that she didn’t care what the captain or anyone else thought for that matter. As for the rest, well, that was something that was…personal, but she grinned anyway over the rim of coffee cup. “I like to think so.”
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

Zachariah frowned. This was not the reaction he had been expecting. But then all prior knowledge of Casela considered, was her guardedness truly so surprising?

“Come now, Cass,” he attempted to counter, “You are a grown woman who is more than capable of making her own decisions. And I am not, nor would I ever attempt to replicate, your father. But I am the captain of this ship and Commander Raauhl is my first officer. And as such I appreciate the respect for the chain of command he has demonstrated in bringing this to my attention.”

He studied her closely over his coffee, curling steam from the warm liquid like an outpouring of fire from the Counselor’s eyes. He was well aware of her intolerance for rank and position, even shared it on certain occasions. But ultimately, he alone was responsible for holding this crew together and if the chain of command was the scaffolding on which this entire house of cards rested, then so be it.

“And that is where my own interest begins and ends,” he concluded. “I meant what I said before, Cas. As long as I see no trace of it seeping into your duty then I care not what my officers get up to in their precious spare time. But you can forgive an old man a slight degree of pleasure in seeing his friend grapple for happiness, surely?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

She was quiet for a long time. Cobb may never replace her father, but he was that important to her. She’d been on this damn boat too long. There were to many people on this ship that mattered to her now. She didn’t put much stock in rank, but that really wasn’t an issue here. She could pretend it was, but it wasn’t. This had to do with her job, with the risk she put them at. She could ask for a transfer, she could reach out to the section and be moved, she could just leave. That didn’t solve the issue though. The only way now, with a public announcement, such as it was, was to stay and keep an eye on them, protect them herself.

She sipped the coffee and then ran a hand, agitatedly, through her hair and looked at him. “Who does that? Really, Zachariah, who willing gets their name associated with mine? Like, a personal connection. Not in a passing they were on the same ship for at time, way, but connected the two names together. What in the hells was I thinking? It’s not like there are nice people looking for me.” She glances over at him. It was written all over her face, here with Cobb, and no where else but with Ryder, would she show how much she was struggling with this. She was frustrated and legitimately concerned. “He keeps telling me its all ‘in my past.’ The man has no sense of self preservation. What have I done?”
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

Finally they came to the heart of the matter. Shadows. Every past transgression cast its own pall against the warmth of existence. None walked untainted through the glaring haze of life, although for most their history cast only the lightest of shade. But every now and then, an individual might find their own cover so substantial, so weighted, as to become a tomb. And never had it been more true than for the two individuals currently in this room.

“I’m sure Ryder would be flattered by your appraisal of his innocence, Cas,” Cobb remarked, only marginally in jest. “How do you think he worked up to First Officer on an ARU vessel, eh? You think he dazzled them with his test scores? His performance in the Kobayashi Maru?”
The old man shook his head.
“I get it, Cas. I do. Apathy is a warm blanket only ever big enough for one. And we both know the chasm that exists between the trials we would take upon ourselves and those we would lay onto others. But the Commander is not as fragile as you might think. Even by your inimitable standards.”

He winked and reached for his coffee. “Give the lad a chance, eh? We can always lock him in containment if you find you’ve made a mistake.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb