Posted by Commander Daniel “DaVinci” Colter (Executive Officer) in XO meeting the new faces (tag Ens. Ynuchausti)

Posted by Ensign Jhalae Ynuchausti (Acting Chief Engineer) in XO meeting the new faces (tag Ens. Ynuchausti)

Posted by Commander Daniel “DaVinci” Colter (Executive Officer) in XO meeting the new faces (tag Ens. Ynuchausti)
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻
DaVinci sat in hiss office on Deck 2 of the Saracen, going over personnel files. There were a number of new department heads onboard since he last sat in this office. as the ship’s returning XO and CIO, he needed to know who he was working with and what their skills and abilities were.

On the screen of the computer was the open file of the current acting Chief Engineer, an Orion female named Jhalae Ynuchaust. He scanned the file quickly and left it open so he could reference it if need be.

=^=Ens. Ynuchausti, this is Cmdr. Colter. Please meet me in my office at your earliest convenience. Thank you.=^=

Colter (XO/CIO)

Jhalae read the message from Commander Colter, her heart skipping a beat. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that she was Chief Engineer now, a role she never anticipated or felt fully prepared for. With a mix of nervousness and determination, she responded:

=^=Cmdr. Colter, this is Ens. Ynuchausti. I received your message and will be there shortly…sir. Thank you for reaching out.=^=

Jhalae couldn’t help but wonder what this meeting would entail. She hoped it wasn’t about her lack of experience or any shortcomings that had become evident during her short tenure as acting Chief Engineer. Despite her reservations, she knew that stepping into this role was an opportunity to prove herself and grow both personally and professionally.

Closing the file on her screen, Jhalae took a moment to gather her thoughts. She rose from her seat and made her way towards Commander Colter’s office on Deck 2. Arriving at the office, Jhalae took a deep breath and pressed the chime, waiting for permission to enter.

Ynuchausti, CE

“Come in, please,” came a gravelly voice from the other side of the door.

As the doors opened, Colter came from behind his desk to greet her. The man was just over six feet tall, but built solidly, solid like an ancient gladiator, but the man also moved with deceptive grace.

“Pleasure to meet you, ensign. I’m Cmdr. Colter, the ship’s returning XO. Have a seat,” he said as he moved back behind his desk. “Can I offer you something to drink, ensign? Water? Tea? . . . .”

Colter (XO)

Jhalae stepped into the office, her eyes briefly scanning the surroundings before focusing on Commander Colter. She couldn’t help but notice his imposing presence and the air of authority that surrounded him. She nodded politely in response to his introduction.

“Thank you, Commander Colter. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jhalae replied, her voice steady despite the underlying nervousness. “Water would be great, thank you.”

She took a seat, trying to maintain a calm and composed demeanor as she settled into the chair. Her gaze briefly wandered around the room, taking in the various mementos and displays that adorned the office walls.

As Commander Colter poured a glass of water and handed it to her, Jhalae couldn’t shake the feeling that this meeting held significant weight. She wondered if her assumption about it being related to her performance was accurate.

“I must admit, Commander, I’m curious about the purpose of this meeting. Is there something specific you wanted to discuss with me?” Jhalae inquired, her tone respectful but tinged with a hint of apprehension.

Ynuchausti, CE

The corner of his mouth turned up into a grin. “Relax, ensign, you’re not here for a dressing down, unless, of course, you’ve done something to deserve it? Give me your honest opinion. You’re a young ensign, serving as the chief engineer, on a Pendragon class battleship. Don’t you think you’ve bitten off more than you can chew?”

“For the most part, Captain Knight is an excellent judge of character and talent. He wouldn’t have put you in the position of acting chief if he didn’t think you could do the job. And if he believes in you, then so do I.”

Colter (XO/CIO)

Jhalae listened carefully to Commander Colter’s words. “I appreciate your confidence in me, Commander,” Jhalae she said. “I must admit, I did not intend on serving as the Chief Engineer.” She didn’t elaborate on her excessive urge to have fun, party, and her slightly carefree personality, but instead she opted for a more mature response. “Even so, I believe I have the skills and determination to handle the responsibilities of the chief engineer role on this ship. I won’t deny that it can be daunting at times, but I’m committed to giving my best and making Captain Knight proud.” She looked around a little before she continued, “I know you know I didnt graduate top of my class and I do not posesses the high intellectual capabilities as most engineers in Starfleet, however I do have a strong passion for engineering and the desire to excel in my duties. I will give my best. If there are any areas where you think I could improve or if you have any advice for me as I navigate this position, I would be grateful to hear it,” Jhalae added. She couldnt help but wonder if there were specific aspects of her performance that the captain might have discussed with the commander, leading to this meeting. However, she didn’t want to appear overly eager, so she waited for Commander Colter to share any further insights he might have.

Ynuchausti, Engineer

DaVinci sat quietly and pondered for a few moments before answering. This was another little test he liked to perform on his own–how people reacted to the “awkward silence”.

Finally, after what may have seemed like forever to the young Orion, the XO spoke. “That’s good that you accept your limitations. You’ve got a team of engineers and operation specialists working under you–use them. Use their knowledge and expertise to help you run an efficient department. We’re not expecting you to fix every problem by yourself. You do that, and you’re going to burn yourself out by the time your 25. Delegate, delegate, delegate the responsibilities in engineering. It’s okay if someone knows more about warp engines than you do. Ask for their opinions and suggestions. You’ll be surprised on what you can learn, ensign. I hope that helps.”

Colter (XO/CIO)

Jhalae shifted in her seat as she sat through the few minutes of silence. She was relieved when it ended and DaVinci began speaking again. She nodded thoughtfully, taking in the XO’s advice. She appreciated the opportunity to learn from this experienced officer, even if the silence was a bit uncomfortable. He knew that the responsibilities of running the engineering department on a starship were vast, and she couldn’t possibly know everything about every system.

DaVinci began to grin as her discomfort began to set in. She had handled it long enough for her to pass his test.

“I understand, sir,” Jhalae replied. “I’ll make sure to lean on my team and utilize their expertise. I won’t hesitate to delegate tasks and seek their input when needed. I believe it’ll not only help me manage the workload more efficiently but also foster a better working environment within the department.”

She took a moment to contemplate the XO’s words about burning out. It was true; if she tried to handle everything on his own, she might exhaust herself and compromise her ability to be effective. There were so many layers and responsibilities to being in charge of just a department, she did not envy him as he was in charge of a whole ship and multiple departments.

“I’ll strive to be a leader who encourages open communication and values the knowledge and skills of the team. Your guidance means a lot to me, and I’ll do my best to apply it,” she added earnestly.

“That’s all I ask of you, ensign.”

With the XO’s advice in mind, Jhalae felt more confident in her ability to take on the challenges of her new position.She would make sure to strike a balance between leading the team and relying on their expertise. “Sir, Do you think my promotion will be permanent or am I to serve in this role until a more experienced officer comes aboard?”

Ynuchausti, CE

“Well, the final decision is Capt. Knight’s, but” he began, “he does take into account my observations and input with these situations. And, I will tell you this–he believes in promoting from within. That’s how I became XO. Trust me, you use the advice I just gave you and continue to perform as you have, and you’ll have that next pip in no time.”

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

Colter (XO/CIO)

Jhalae smiled appreciatively at DaVinci’s encouraging words. “Thank you, sir. I’ll do my best to prove myself.”

She considered his question for a moment before responding, “Actually, there is something. I’m working on optimizing the warp core efficiency, but I’ve hit a bit of a roadblock. I’ve reviewed the data, but I can’t seem to pinpoint the exact cause of the fluctuations. Perhaps a fresh set of eyes might see something I’ve missed. Since I am not familiar with the engineers and their abilities, I was hoping you could give me advice on who you think would be the best JO engineer to reach out too?”

Ynuchausti, CE

The XO looked relieved and laughed. “For a moment, I thought you were asking for MY help with the engines. That’s a bad idea. I’d leave you worse off than you are now.”

He picked up a Padd and began going over the engineering personnel on the ship. “Hmmm/” he began “First off, I’d ask Ens. Charles-Louis to run a thorough diagnostic on the computers to rule out any problems there. Then. . . . .NE Stark would most likely be your best choice. He has the highest rating in warp technology.”

Colter (XO/CIO)

Jhalae nodded appreciatively at the XO’s suggestions. “Thank you, sir. I’ll reach out to Ens. Charles-Louis and NE Stark for their expertise. Hopefully, their insights will help me overcome this roadblock.” Her determination sparkled in her eyes. “I won’t let this setback hinder me. Your guidance and advice mean a lot, sir. I’ll persist until I uncover a solution.” She clasped her hands in front of her and added with a grin, “Well, if there’s nothing else, sir, I suppose I should dive back into work. Can’t risk leaving my station for too long; the ship might think it can have all the fun without me.”

Ynuchausti, CE