Posted by Lieutenant Commander T’Aria (XO / Navigation Officer) in Side SIM: The Night Shift (Tag XO)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander T’Aria (XO / Navigation Officer) in Side SIM: The Night Shift (Tag XO)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Umbri Zayne (Weapons Officer) in Side SIM: The Night Shift (Tag XO)
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The dreaded night shift. It wasn’t something typical for a senior officer, but it was certainly still something they had to take up once in a while. Umbri was no different. Fortunately, they had gotten used to it from their days as an Ensign. The fact that they were now a Lieutenant Junior Grade and the USS Chernov’s Weapons Officer still hadn’t sunk in yet. Umbri knew absolutely nothing about being a leader, and it showed. The second-guessing had gotten better, but they were still pretty uncertain about things. They were literally the person in charge of keeping the crew of the USS Chernov safe, and that fact was insanely daunting.

This was all they could think about as they were in the armory, organizing the weapons. At this point, they had two options: Option 1 was to find something to help take their mind off of their dilemma. Option 2 was to ask a fellow senior officer for advice. Considering the fact that organizing – something that Umbri was very good at – wasn’t helping, option 1 was definitely a bust. As for option 2…they’d have to figure out if there were any other senior officers on the night shift. Thankfully, they were just about finished with their current task. ‘Maybe I’ll find someone while I’m on patrol,’ they thought. So they grabbed their phaser and made sure that everything was locked up before they started their patrol with an NE Security Officer.

Lieutenant (j.g.) Umbri Zayne, Weapons Officer

T’Aria rounded the corner, buried in a PaDD as she pursued the nearest turbolift on autopilot. At this hour, the corridors were often populated by security patrols, engineers finishing the jobs that foot traffic made impossible, and wanderers like herself. T’Aria was not on shift that evening, nor was she tying up loose ends in the day’s work. Rather, she roamed the halls in slow pursuit of the lower decks and a set of unremarkable windows in section 15. She happened upon them as a newly embarked officer aboard the Chernov in a walk that would later become a nightly ritual (when time permitted). There was nothing significant about the windows – they looked and functioned like any other – but they offered comfort in times of stress when she didn’t feel comfortable sharing the weight with someone else. And she’d seen so many beautiful things in those moments.

Footsteps, soft and fast approaching, shook T’Aria from her daze and forced her to look up. It was difficult for her to discern who it was at first, but seconds closed the distance and she soon recognised a familiar face among the group. Umbri. T’Aria relaxed her habitually rigid stance and bowed her head respectfully to the officers before lifting a hand to entreat Umbri’s attention. “Lieutenant Zayne,” she greeted with a voice mellower than usual, “I was not expecting to run into you and your team. How are patrols?”

— T’Aria, XO

Umbri looked up, smiling when they saw T’Aria. The perfect person for leadership advice. “Lieutenant Commander T’Aria, hello. Patrols are going well. I’m actually glad I ran into you. I’ve got a lot of things on my mind that I feel like you could help out with. If it’s not too much trouble, would you care to join us?” they asked.

Lieutenant (j.g.) Umbri Zayne, Weapons Officer

T’Aria sensed there was more to Umbri’s conflict than report deadlines and shift changes. So, without hesitation, she clicked off her PaDD and tucked it under her arm. “Of course,” she gestured for Umbri to take the lead and soon fell into step beside them. “May I ask what is troubling you?”

—T’Aria, XO

Umbri sighed. “Simply put, I’m not sure if I’m cut out to be the Weapons Officer. I’ve never held a leadership position before, and it’s honestly quite daunting. I’m literally the person in charge of keeping this crew safe and I’m second-guessing myself, I don’t really have an authoritative presence, and I feel so nervous all the time. It’s really stressing me out, and I don’t know what to do. I could use some advice right now,” they said.

Lieutenant (j.g.) Umbri Zayne, Weapons Officer

T’Aria grappled with the instinct to bestow upon Umbri the same ‘advice’ she received as a new department head. “Give it time.” She recalled how helpless she felt when Doctor Obi offered those words as they sat on a biobed, watching as the vitals jumped and plunged in their struggle to distinguish between Human and Vulcan. He spoke as though her work – the time and effort she put into growth – had no bearing on her skill. “Give it time,” for T’Aria, meant losing a piece of her autonomy to an invisible and finicky source. And she could not bring herself to suggest to Umbri what she refused to do herself.

“I struggled for months after being thrust into the CMO role when Captain Taggart was promoted to Executive Officer,” she admitted. “I had no concept of leadership nor assertiveness beyond what was required of me as a surgeon. Naturally, I fell on Vulcan discipline and adopted a rigid, logic-bound management style. Note the word: management. I was not engaging my team nor leaning into them for the support we needed. Instead, I required them to work in ways that fit a paradigm sooner than it did their needs and abilities. We naturally struggled with burnout, particularly among our medical technicians, and fell into a routine of regulation efficiency. It was not sustainable, but I persisted because I believed that was how I honoured the responsibility Taggart gave me.”

Her expression stiffened with thought but softened the moment she caught Umbri in her periphery.

“I did not realise the flaw in my thinking until it threatened the safety of my patients and my team. Though my system fit the rubric – organised, efficient and stable – it neglected an element essential to medicine: people. I was not empowering nor supporting my team. Consequently, I took on more than I could handle and overlooked their ability to handle more. There was a lack of trust, and it started with me.”

T’Aria pursed her lips, “I understand this is a rather long and perhaps unnecessary way to tell you something deceivingly mundane, but I feel you deserve more than hollow words. Leadership begins with trust. Take the time to get to know your team to build comraderie and trust that extends beyond duty. Many of your officers have served on the Chernov – and some in Starfleet – longer than us. Lean into their wisdom, and seek out their support because leadership is a collaborative effort. You are learning and, though there will be some who challenge you, most are willing to share their experience and learn with you… if you only ask.”

— T’Aria, XO

bump 11.06.2022

Umbri felt a little better. They were glad they asked T’Aria for advice. “So in summary, get to know my team, learn to trust my team, trust myself, and ask for help whenever I need it?” they asked.

Lieutenant (j.g.) Umbri Zayne, Weapons Officer