Posted by Captain Remy Boudreaux (CO) in Side Sim- Petrov and The Power of Nuclear Proliferation

Posted by Commander Jason Reilly (XO) in Side Sim- Petrov and The Power of Nuclear Proliferation

Posted by Lieutenant Mikel Petrov (Chief Engineer) in Side Sim- Petrov and The Power of Nuclear Proliferation
Posted by… suppressed (15) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Reilly gritted his teeth. He didnt trust the man. He was… smug. And smug was always coupled with conniving in his experience. But… he was open to being proven wrong.

Keying the comms, he said politely =^= Mr. Petrov, please come to the XO’s office when your shift is done. Thank you, Lieutenant. =^=.

He leaned back and gritted his teeth.

Reilly, XO

Bump

Bump

OOC: Missed this. Sorry.
IC:

And suddenly Petrov arrived and looked none to happy to be there.

Petrov CE

OOC: No worries, life is weird right now.

IC: Reilly gave the Engineer his best flashy and super fake smiles and said “Ah, Mr. Petrov. So glad you could make it. Please, have a seat. Care for something to drink before we begin?”

Reilly, XO

“I don’t suppose you have a good Russian cognac.” Petrov said as he unceremoniously made his way to the chair in front of the desk. He knew it was unlikely that anyone on the ship had some and if he was offered the synthetic one he would offer a snarky response to such a low bred offer.

He mainly was gauging the new XO for what his aim and tactic to accomplish it would be. Given their previous conversation he anticipated this was not a get to know and understand you kind of conversation. He also was prepared to play the game and see where it went. In the end he had plans for the new XO.

Petrov CE

Reilly smiled, sincerely this time, but with a small spark in his eyes. “Russian? Lieutenant… anyone who knows anything knows that cognac, by it’s very definition, is a specific type of brandy produced from distilled white wine. It must be distilled twice, using copper pot stills, and aged in French oak barrels for a minimum of two years. French, Lieutenant. Not Russian. Now if you want some medovukha, then I would be happy to make the arraignments… provided you can answer a few questions for me and we end this little meeting on friendlier terms than our previous one.”

Reilly, XO

“I am aware of the history of brandy and cognac. Meukow is after all and in the end Russian born. It took the Russians to show the French how to do it right. I am not interested in who started it but if we must be nitpicking it was the Dutch.” Petrov said. How dare this simpleton think he was better bred and born than a Petrov.

“What is it exactly you want?” He said. So far he had not deferred to rank in the meeting. In fact he was behaving as if Reilly was below him if not in SF rank then in societal rank.

Petrov CE

Reilly looked at him and said flatly “Meukow was and is still made in France. By the French. The Russians just paid for a distillery. Everyone who knows anything knows this… as I am sure you do, so let’s not be obtuse. Calling it ‘Russian cognac’ is marketing more than anything else. But I digress…” and he leaned back in his chair.

“What do I want? I want to know what in your file or in your head leads you to believe that I… or anyone really… should put up with you? I mean, you are a solid engineer, no doubt. But there are literally thousands of engineers in Star Fleet. And while you are good, one of the better ones I’d say… there are better. So what makes you think you are… special, Mr. Petrov? And before you get your dander up, I am an open minded kind of guy. If you can tell me one concrete, irrefutable reason you are better than every single other Engineer in Star Fleet and better than everyone on this ship… I will leave you be to be the abrasive, arrogant, petulant Engineer you are right now. But if you can’t… then we are going to spend the rest of this meeting having a very different conversation. So makes Mikel Petrov so amazing that he gets to treat everyone around him like they are servants, hmm? And you better make it good… you only get one shot at this… and I am not easily impressed. So impress me.” and he crossed his hands in his lap and stared at Petrov, waiting.

Reilly, XO

Petrov was arrogant and had a high level of respect for himself. If only in the dark recesses of his mind would he admit those things to himself. However he knew his ability and worth. This man was pretending to be more than he was with his high and mighty way of speaking. Like he himself was a deity with the power to bestow and take away this and that. Mikel could play to the man’s over bloated since of authority but he did want to.

“If you were half as intelligent as you imagine then you would already know the answers. ” He began. “The last two missions, that which you were not on and most likely serving on a plant life research mission somewhere, I saved this ship from destruction. So yes I can make your argument. If I had not been here then you wouldn’t even have an assignment to be promoted to or be sitting right there. to even ask that question. I don’t need to prove to you I am the greatest engineer in SF. For this argument I just have to prove I’m the greatest one sitting right here right now. Because following any chain of logic if I had not been here then you would not be here now nor the other crew on this ship to even have this or any other conversation. They might not like me but worth is proven on this ship, is yours? ”

Mikel knew he had bested the man even if the man did not admit it.

Petrov CE

Reilly smiled and said “You saved the ship because that’s your job. Prove to me you are the only Engineer who could have. That’s the point of this little exercise.” and he leaned forward and looked the man in the yes, not flinching. “See Mikel, where your issue lies is in your belief that you aren’t replaceable. Little truth for ya… all of us are replaceable. Everyone. Me, the Captain, the Doc… even you. Congrats on saving the ship. Well done. But that’s kind of why you are here, so if your reason for arrogance and conceit is that ‘you do your job’… well… that’s not really enough, now is it?” and he leaned back and chuckled. “I really expected a much more impressive answer than ‘I did my job… twice.’ And as to your quip about my plant science assignment? Well, I can assure you, Mikel… I am no scientist.” and he chuckled again.

Reilly, XO

“So this is a juvenile game of no answer is the right answer? I thought as much. Lets do that. I say Yes Sir and No Sir like you want and walk around like an automaton so we can all be happy if not intelligent. So Sir what are your orders? If it pleases the Commander can he be succinct. I am quite sure I will be needed to save the ship, since the Captain, COS,CSO etc…have not done it previously. Of course it may be they will this time. Chief Engineer Petrov at your disposal.” He said exaggerating several points. He was tired of propping up inferior egos. Of course he did not count his own even if it was the biggest on the ship.

Petrov CE

Reilly grinned internally, but kept his face expressionless. “There was a right answer, you just couldnt figure it out. But thats okay, it’s what I expected. So… You want succinct? Fine. You will do the job you’ve been doing but without the attitude. You will stop treating people like they are inferior to you. And when the Captain or I give you a task? You say ‘Yes, sir’ and you do it to the best of your ability every time. That little exchange from the shuttle bay doesn’t happen again. Not between you and I, not between you and any member of this crew.” and he paused and looked at the man for a long moment.

“You’re a good Engineer, Petrov. But you’re a problematic one. Probably why you are here. If it wasnt for your attitude you could been a Captain now… or higher. Have your own R and D space or something. You have the knowledge and the talent for it. I’ve seen Engineers in charge of massive R and D projects that dont have half the ability you possess. But they dont have the ego you do, so they are their getting the attention while you are here. That chip you carry on your shoulder casts a big shadow. Maybe if you got rid of it, you’d be the one calling the shots instead of taking the orders, ever think of that?” And he just shook his head, as if the Engineer had disappointed him somehow. As if he expected more… but it wasn’t delivered. “Until you do drop the attitude? Expect to have a lot more meetings like this with me. Now… Any questions before I dismiss you, Lieutenant?”

Reilly, XO

” As discussed. No Sir! No more questions.” He said adding in his last little jab. As if he had even asked a question. He was the one being asked questions. What an imbecile.

Also the man could not tell him he was not superior, as that fact was obvious. Ok his new goal in life was bring this man to his knees and leaving him a husk of a former SF officer. Nor did his little speech at the end sway him. He was not head of SF R&D because of small minded and jealous men like this.

He rose. “Permission to be dismissed Sir.” He added crisply.

Petrov CE

Reilly smiled and said “Sure thing. Oh, and please have all pending engineering assistant requests organized by operational priority and sent to me and the Captain by end of day tomorrow. And pull the latest Preventative Maintenance protocols from Command and correlate all maintenance records to ensure we are in compliance with all current guidelines. If we arent, you’ll need to document why we arent and give a timeline for when we will be. You have 72 hours to get that done and again sent to me and the Captain. Thank you. Dismissed, Lieutenant.” and he stopped looking at him and went back to his work as if Petrov had already left.

Reilly, XO

Petrov smiled as he turned away from the man and left. That little petty display meant he had broken the man’s cool and gotten to him. It would be the first in a long line of little attacks that the man never knew were happening. Making him lower himself to petty actions while Petrov just assigned the task to others to accomplish for him. It won’t happen fast but he wondered how long before it impacted the new XO and caused him to show a less savory and less professional side. A slippery slope indeed.

Petrov CE

OOC: You have no idea how much I love Petrov. AMAZING character. And very well written.

James

OOC: I just want to add that was amazing writing by both of you!!! I could listen to/read that verbal jousting all day. Very well done James & Sid!!! –Terry

OOC: Yes it was fun. Thanks. Lucky you Terry. Your characters not the focus of Petrov’s scheming anymore. Now its James who has that fun. welcome to the party.

Sidney