Posted by Ensign Khiryn Donivas (Science Officer) in Ens Donivas Check-in with CSO (CSO’s Office)

Posted by Lieutenant Draddok Ahearn (Chief Science Officer) in Ens Donivas Check-in with CSO (CSO’s Office)

Posted by Ensign Khiryn Donivas (Science Officer) in Ens Donivas Check-in with CSO (CSO’s Office)
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Khiryn stepped foot onboard the Leviathan and felt a metaphorical weight settle upon his shoulders. He’d been aboard many Starfleet ships in his time, but that had always been as he was being transported to or from one of the many research projects and field studies he’d been on.

Never as crew. Not until now.

One of his mentors told him the Leviathan was an excellent ship, and one that would help him become a better Science Officer. Ensign Donivas’s stomach started to twist as he began to have doubts about that.

When he looked up the Leviathan in the Starfleet records, there was very little tangible information provided. There certainly was nothing hinting at exciting new scientific discoveries that could make a young officer’s career.

Furthermore, he’d been through a rigorous vetting process, security investigations, and a bevy of “non-disclosure” and “eyes only” forms that he had to sign on the space station before he was even allowed to transfer on board.

All of that hinted at one inescapable fact… he wasn’t going to be publishing any research articles any time soon.

A crewman offered to take his luggage to his quarters, so Khiryn strode off to his most important meeting on the ship.

His check-in with the Chief Science Officer.

Whatever happened on board the Leviathan, Ensign Donivas’s career would be defined by his work. In order to do that effectively, he needed to establish a good relationship with his immediate superior.

What little he was able to see of Lt Ahearn’s record revealed him to be an officer experienced on board ships, with the Leviathan being his third shipboard assignment. Since that is a part of the job I have literally no experience with, he should be an ideal Chief Science Officer to learn from.

Khiryn exited the turbolift on deck four and chimed the door at the CSO’s office to report in.

Ensign Khiryn Donivas - Science Officer - U.S.S. Leviathan

At first, there was silence. No call to enter came from behind the closed door. No welcoming smile of a department head happy to meet a new member of his staff. There was just… nothing. Nothing at all…

Until the door slid open and the doorway was immediately filled with the broad shouldered, hairless, muscular frame of an Orion. The figure was wearing blue jeans and tennis shoes, with a black T-shirt with a four leaf clover on the front. Intense and piercing emerald green eyes locked onto the Ensign and they said “Yeah? Whaddya want?” In other circumstances, the Irish accent of the greenskinned figure might have seemed comical; But something to the look on the individual’s face seem to indicate that finding humor in that particular genre might prove somewhat painful.

Ahearn, Chief Science Officer

Khiryn blinked as he took in the sight of the massive Orion standing before him. It only took a split second to realize this was his new Department Head. Well… there certainly are some unusual variables at play surrounding my Chief Science Officer… but nothing outside of statistical probability.

“Lieutenant Ahearn, I presume? I’m Ensign Khiryn Donivas, your new Science Officer.” The larger man’s greeting had been gruff, bordering on hostile, but Khiryn ignored that for the time being and was determined to make a good first impression. “I just arrived onboard and I’d like to schedule a time for my check-in interview.”

Ensign Donivas wanted to do it now, of course… he wasn’t going to try to force anything with the new boss. He might just be in a bad mood… in which case, meeting with him later would facilitate a more advantageous outcome.

But… Khiryn also knew he couldn’t allow himself to cower. He had one Professor who liked to scream at her assistants, and those who shirked away and acted scared never seemed to recover or gain her respect.

Besides… the probability is extremely unlikely that a Starfleet Officer would inflict bodily harm on a subordinate. Ensign Donivas spared another glance at Ahearn’s thick muscles. Okay… maybe just highly unlikely in this case.

Ensign Khiryn Donivas - Science Officer - U.S.S. Leviathan

The CSO stared at him for a moment and then shrugged and said “Yeah, whatever. Let’s get this done.” and he turned and walked inside the office without waiting to see if the newly arrived scientist followed.

The office was unlike most department head’s offices… especially the head of a Science department. The place was… well… ‘chaotoc’ was too soft a word; and ‘hellish slightly too harsh. There was no sense of organization, or even sanitation. A half eaten sandwich sat on a plate in the chair the CSO indicated for the #nsign to take a seat in. There were a scattering of PADDs strewn about the place, and it seemed as if the place had recently been ransacked. The CSO took a seat behind the desk and kicked his booted feet up on top of it. “Ok. So… check in. Tell me what I need to know about ya.”

Ahearn, Chief Science Officer

Khiryn followed Ahearn into the office and he noted the advanced state of disarray and neglect that the room was in. I’ve seen plenty of disorganized scholars, but office is on a whole new level.

The Chief Science Officer lounged behind his cluttered desk and Khiryn was left to introduce himself. Time to justify my existence, he thought to himself.

Ensign Donivas was average in height and had a thin, spare build. He had a mop of dark brown hair, a prominent nose, and a medium skin tone. As an Akaali, he had defined anterior crests symmetrically located on either side of his forehead. Oddly enough the Ensign also wore a pair of glasses, though they were exceedingly rare in Starfleet.

After a moment’s though Khiryn spoke. “I’m specialized in pathology and intersciplinary science. I have four years of research experience ,supporting various field studies and research projects. I was the principal reseach assistant on most of those projects and did much of the day to day coordination.”

Ensign Donivas paused for a moment, then decided he’d included the salient details of his past. Time to move on to the present then.

“What I don’t have is any experience serving on a Federation starship… the Leviathan is my first posting. I’ll need to learn the specifics of shipboard routine and protocol for a Science Department. And that is on top of whatever the Leviathan’s mission is… whenever its time for me to be read in on it.”

Ensign Khiryn Donivas - Science Officer - U.S.S. Leviathan

Ahearn was quiet a moment, emerald eyes drilling into the figure before him. He looked irritated, borderline angry, but when he spoke his voice was even and normal. “Wait. You’ve never worked on a ship before and this is your first posting?” The irritated look on his face shifted to one of subtle amusement. “Huh. Someone must really not like you, Ensign, if they put you here with no starship experience.” He chuckled- once- and then the irritated look returned. Apparently, that was just how he looked.

“Ok. So this ship is part of a classified and kinda of clandestine program within Star Fleet. We are part of the ARU- the Anomaly Recovery Unit. Our job is to investigate, catalogue, and- as necessary- capture and contain those things that are typically classified as ‘anomolies’ or ‘subspace anomolies’. We apparently do this on our own with no real backup. In short… we catch and house monsters and things that go bump in the night.” He took a breath and looked directly at the Ensign. “This is a strange place for them to stick someone with no ship experience at all. How did you wind up here?”

Ahearn, Chief Science Officer

Despite Khiryn’s fears, and the man’s default expressions, his new department head seemed somewhat personable once he opened up.

Lt Ahearn’s words reinforced some of the fears Khiryn was already having about this assignment. NDA’s and eyes only briefings were not the stuff one expected some a scientific command. Just the opposite in fact. Which would be the Intelligence Divsion I guess. The Science Division works to produce and disseminate information, while Inteligence works to hoard it.

The revelation that they were part of some shadowy organization… the Anomoly Recovery Unit… and that they dealt with anomalies and “monsters” too dangerous for others to deal with… well… that was a sobering pill to swallow.

“Ah, yes.” Khiryn replied, clearly still trying to absorb all this new information. “A well placed mentor arranged for me to get this posting. They assured me it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.” Did I piss them off somehow? There is no way a tour on this ship will be academically rewarding. “Since graduating I’ve been assigned to various projects and field studies. I have plenty of experience.... just none of it aboard ships. Or in… uncontrolled environments.”

Still… there were parts of the mission that intrigued Ensign Donivas. “We deal with new and never before encountered anomalies? And we house them?” The Akaali’s eyebrows rose to an almost comical height. “You mean we have dangerous specimens onboard the Leviathan right now?”

Ensign Khiryn Donivas - Science Officer - U.S.S. Leviathan

“Uh-huh.” the green-skinned scientist replied. “Whole section of the ship dedicated to it, in fact. Once you are more familiar with how starships operate, I’ll get you access. But for now you need to get comfortable with ship-life.” He paused a moment and then said “You said a mentor got you this post? What… did ya sleep with his wife or something? Because this isn’t exactly a career stepping stone. I mean, it’s not like you can talk about it with anyone…like, forever.”

Ahearn, Chief Science Officer