Posted by Lieutenant Zoi Haven (Chief of Security) in SB 157: The Boiler Room Cafe: Meeting with XO

Posted by Commander Dira Myqian (Executive Officer) in SB 157: The Boiler Room Cafe: Meeting with XO

Posted by Lieutenant Zoi Haven (Chief of Security) in SB 157: The Boiler Room Cafe: Meeting with XO

(snip)

She nodded approval and wondered how much Dira would stand up for something if it meant enough to her. Would she purposefully burn a bridge? She seemed kind and thoughtful and like many psychologists and psychiatrists, she had that level of evaluation and skepticism that was needed for those jobs. Being in Command however, required grit, the ability to make touch decisions, and follow through. Was Dira the kind of person who had that mettle? Zoi didn’t know but surely she would not have been given the promotion to XO, if Star Fleet had no faith in those attributes. “In the wide and varied world of labels, what labels would you apply to yourself?”

Haven, CoS

Once again, Myqian was surprised. Pleasantly, of course. “Oh, wow. Uh…” she said, though there was no stammering. Sure, she was thrown off guard, but it was in the best possible way. “Hmmm, I suppose there are many, and some that don’t apply now but have in the past that are still important. So… daughter, telepath, mixed-species, explorer, friend, companion, health practitioner, spiritual. I also would consider myself pansexual, that is, I date a variety of people irregardless of gender.” She shrugged. It was an important detail, since it determined how she interacted with people on a romantic level, but it was also something that just… was.

Interesting. She sipped her tea and listened. Most labels would be obvious or stated in her files. That much was easy to figure out. However, she wondered at the use of companion as well as friend. Most chose one or the other. Spiritual and pansexual were self explanatory, though spirituality was quite a diverse label and complicated.

“Uh.. what else? I am a reader, an artist when the mood strikes me, a swimmer, sometimes competitive, and”-Dira let out a chuckle-“a little bit of a slob,” she said, her cheeks warming as she admitted what might be one of her more obvious flaws.

Commander Myqian, XO

Zoi had to grin at Dira’s admission of being a slob. She sipped her tea and then placed the empty cup before her. The brandy warmed her and brought a nice flush to her cheeks though not as much as Dira’s currently. She took up her fork and gestured with it as she spoke. “Well well well, I did not expect a flaw among your labels. Most people never apply them openly. I have so many questions. I guess we will start with your admission of being a slob. Are you just a bit terrible at keeping your space clutter free? Keeping clothes off the floor and dishes back to the replicator? PaDDs strewn where you last left them? Or are you way worse?”

Haven, CoS

The tightness of her smile allowed both the slight embarrassment and amusement to creep through.” Depends on the day? But truly, it’s mostly just scattered items or things I push to one side to deal with later. My days are usually long and I’ve been effectively on call every day for twenty years.” Dira shrugged slightly. “It could be a lot worse. But a partner of mine used to tease me relentlessly about it. She couldn’t believe that someone who helped others organize everything in their heads could be so terrible about organizing their physical space. I stand by it being the one place where I can be messy and not have it be criticized.” While it was all light and in good fun, there was an element to the critique that for Dira always felt like she could never present as less than in control and orderly, lest her patients and her crew in general lost trust in her.

Myqian braced her chin on her hand again. “What about you? What labels do you claim as your own?”

Commander Myqian, XO