Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Quentin “Q” Dawson (Chief Weapons Officer) in 11:00 Meeting with Mr Dawson

Posted by Lieutenant Kastarak (First Officer / Navigation Officer) in 11:00 Meeting with Mr Dawson

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Quentin “Q” Dawson (Chief Weapons Officer) in 11:00 Meeting with Mr Dawson
Posted by… suppressed (11) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Today was the day that Kastarak would have his first one-to-one meetings with the department heads. He would do them in order of seniority. 9 o’clock was Mr Grey’s scheduled time, 10 o’clock was Dr Symar’s. Now it would be Mr Dawson’s, the weapons officer.

Kastarak had only had one-to-one interactions with Mr Dawson in the counselling office, nor standing empty. Then, Kastarak wore the blue shirt, now he’s in the First Officer’s office, wearing a golden shirt. How would this affect their relationship? Kastarak surmised that, due to the nature of the mission at hand, perhaps Dawson would require counselling… but would Kastarak be able to provide it?

He waited for Mr Dawson to enter.

– Lt Kastarak (First Officer)

Dawson arrived outside Kastarak’s office and stayed there momentarily, trying to decide how this would go. Will Kastarak still be acting as Ship’s Counselor? Will his promotion change their dynamic? Dawson shook his head and decided he would let Kastarak take the lead. He chimed the door and, when permitted to enter, came in with his usual smile and English charm.

“Good morning, sir.” he said once he came into the room, “It is odd seeing you in gold, but a welcome sight to be sure. So, where would you like to begin?”

Lt. Q Dawson, CWO

It was an odd situation for Kastarak too. He rose from his seat to greet his guest. “Good morning”, he said and gestured to Mr Dawson to sit down on the opposite side of Kastarak’s desk. A pot of English tea was kept steeping on the desk, sitting upon a small heater. It had been Mr Grey who had earlier today requested the tea.

“Would you like something to drink?” He asked. If Mr Dawson looked around, he would also see a drink dispenser machine in the corner of the room, from where coffees, some cold drinks and a raktajino of dubious authenticity could be poured.

“The tea will be fine, sir.” Dawson said taking his seat and pouring a cup of the tea.

“I should like to begin with discussing your role as weapons officer, how you find it, your relationship with junior officers, your aspirations, and what support you might need. Is there something beyond this you wish to add to the agenda?”

Lt Kastarak (XO)

“We’ll see how it goes,” Dawson said sipping his tea. “Where would you like to begin?”

Lt. Q Dawson, CWO

“Very well,” said Kastarak, pouring himself a cup for himself too. “Your role as weapons officer. Let’s begin there. How have you adjusted to the Chernov since coming here. What attitudes, thoughts, feelings do you have within toward your role and position?”

– Lt Kastarak (First Officer)

Dawson sat back, relaxing into his chair, starting to treat this more like a perfunctory assessment review, which he had had a lot of during his tenure in Starfleet. “Well,” He began, “This is my first post as a department head, and I won’t say it has taken some getting used to. I feel that our mission on Equestria was a good sounding board on my abilities. There were mistakes as well as successes, and I feel I’m more prepared to handle our next mission going forward. This mission of course will present its own challenges, but I have confidence in my position.”

Lt. Q Dawson, CWO

Kastarak appreciated Dawson’s seeming honesty, though he wanted to probe further.

“Please tell me more, help me understand what were the mistakes and successes as you have interpreted them.”

Kastarak took another sip of tea. There had been a lot of tea during the day.

– Lt Kastarak, XO

“Well,” Dawson began, “Then successes were in the crew returning unharmed as well as security reacting efficiently, as far as I would determine. The mistakes were with Commander T’Aria’s abduction and the dealings with the being Discord, which we were admittedly underprepared for.”

Lt. Q Dawson, CWO

Kastarak nodded. It was a succint and summarized assessment that Dawson provided elegantly and objectively. Kastarak was impressed. “Thank you for that assessment. As for your aspirations in Starfleet, what are they?”

– Lt Kastarak (XO)

Dawson sipped at his tea, relaxing into the meeting. “I’d like to eventually get further into command, eventually having my own command of a starship. I think experience as Chief Weapons Officer will greatly assist in achieving that goal for me someday.”

Lt. Q Dawson, CWO

Kastarak agreed. “It is a likely trajectory for your career, provided you care about your psychological health. What can you say about the state of your psychological health? In what way has the new mission affected it?”

Kastarak remembered what Dawson had told him earlier, in confidence. Suddenly, it felt like a very long time ago that Kastarak had been a counsellor, caring for the crew in one way. Even on this second day of his tenureship as first officer, he tried his best to get into the position’s mindset. It was difficult, but he still cared about the crew, and as first officer, their mental health still remained important.

– Lt Kastarak (XO)

Dawson’s cup hesitated at his mouth as he pursed his lips. He set the cup and saucer down and swallowed. “Well, you know I’d be lying if I said I was fine.” he said crossing one leg over the other, “This mission is going to be stressful for a number of reasons, the possibility of finding my sister being the least of them, as it turns out.”

“Venturing into Klingon space, violating our treaty, and risking open war, as well as experimenting with Romulan cloaking technology, also against the treaties with both Klingons and Romulans, all with a skeleton crew? This mission should have us all worried.”

Dawson paused and considered, “But we will take care and do our best. That’s all we can do. As for my sister,” Dawson stiffened into a more formal posture as he pushed down the tumultuous chaos of emotion surrounding Clarissa for the cool, ordered logic of his station, “the ship and the crew’s safety must always come first, above all else.”

Lt. Q. Dawson, CWO

Kastarak listened.

“Your principles are sound. To which degree can you depend on them? In other words, how psychologically fit are you for the coming mission? It is possible for you to be rotated out once we reach Sol, if that is what you need.”

“If not, what do you need in order to complete this mission?”

– Lt Kastarak (XO)

Rotated out? The thought caught him off guard. This mission had taken up so much space in his mind, it had never occurred to him that they might go without him. He thought about possibly stepping back, letting someone else, someone more objective take this on. Then he thought of sitting on a starbase, wondering what had happened to them, and if something did, he’d never know. No. He’d been there before and could not stand going there a second time.

“No, sir.” He said, “No offense, but I need to be here. In my opinion, I am perfectly capable of performing my duties effectively. However, I trust your judgment, sir, and if at any time you feel my performance to be a danger to the crew and the mission, I trust you will relieve me of duty.”

He was sure it wouldn’t come to that. Mostly sure. Yet, there was now that seed of doubt, that what if in the back of his mind. what if? What if you fail? What if something happened to her? What if it was a trap? What if you had to choose between Clarissa and the Chernov?

Q wanted to believe he would make the right choice, but if the academy and his years in Starfleet taught him anything, you never knew what choices you’d make until you were face to face with it.

-Lt. Q Dawson, CWO

“As is my duty, Mr Dawson,” Kastarak replied quickly, “but it is yours as well.”

Kastarak took another sup of his tea.

“It goes two-ways. You need to be aware of how this mission affects you and will affect you. You will need to remain honest with me, for the sake of the mission, and for the crew, but also, for your own sake. Your psychological health is important, for the mission but also for yourself and your continued welfare throughout your life. I will help you in any way that I can. Your welfare is important to me, as your first officer and out of the bond that we have created between another.”

– Lt Kastarak (XO)