SD 241402.24 JDL | "Beta-Shift"| CDO & CCIO Ens Bartlett & MCapt Lione

Posted on Tue Feb 25th, 2014 @ 1:42am by Ensign Tiffany Bartlett & Lieutenant JG Teá Black

960 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: In the Dark
Location: Bridge, USS Vindicator

= BEGIN LOG =

Tripae just got the finalized formations and drills from First Lieutenant Garza. It was mainly learning how to fly formations through mines, debris and asteroid fields. It seemed that the Federation got extremely lucky in that any, and all combat somehow falls outside of these type of fields. "Ensign Bartlett do you have a minute."

Ensign Tiffany Bartlett, before yesterday, had resigned herself to being a junior officer for the rest of her life. Her whole academy and ship-side career had centered around a fast-paced series of duties, all of which had increased her potential to climb the ranks. She was part of the famed elite in her command school, and graduated top of her class. Her professors proclaimed her as one of the most promising cadets they'd had the privelege to teach. Some of her classmates, naturally, had reservations about her can-do-at-any cost attitude. She disregarded them as jealous or unskilled.

Her posting on the USS Vindicator had changed all that. Months ago at the height of the conflict between Starfleet and the Triad, Bartlett had asked to be posted on a ship at the war's front. Being in the heat of the battle would have sky-rocketed her career, and potentially landed her a permanent position aboard a ship of the line as a senior officer. To her disappointment and surprise, however, she was given a post aboard the i'll fated Vindicator as a junior command officer on the Beta shift.

Beta shift was designed to man the ships of Starfleet during the off-hours. When the Captain and Senior officers all went to sleep in when she stepped in to take charge. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it was hardly the speedy way to a command of your own. Bartlett had ambition beyond that of normal Ensigns, and had a determination unmatched by her colleagues both in and out of Starfleet. She prized herself on a cool head and calm focus.

The only thing she really lacked was practical experience.

Now facing down a series of reports the Captain and XO normally fielded, for which she was woefully unprepared but was just as unwilling to admit defeat on... the flight deck manager wanted to chat? Her brown eyes clipped up through her long bangs at the other woman. Hopefully this wouldn't take too long.

"Yes? What is it?" She tried to be pleasant, but blurted it out a little anyway as she skimmed a report.

Tripae smirked at the young ensign even though her Naval rank was a lieutenant she had many many many more years of experience both in combat and non-combat settings. "One of my pilots would like to run some formation flying along with some combat landings, with beta shift running flight ops."

There is was again, staring her in the face... Beta Shift. While the Captain and the senior staff were all down on Notura handling the mission, she was acting captain, technically. This was her moment to shine and finally rise above the dull and dimming titles of "beta-shift". She had to be strong, assertive, and resilient in the face of her trials while seated in the big chair. There wasn't likely to be a significant event for the entire mission, though. Tiffany would have to make something out of nothing, and impress the command team with her ability to improve their ship in their absence.

"You mean the fighters." She said aloud, thinking she'd forgotten about the dept almost entirely since their mission had begun. She'd gotten so caught up in the day's basic tasks she hadn't considered anyone would want to ask for special permissions. Though, hey *were* hanging in space, not really doing much... she supposed the crew would want projects.

Always thinking about the advantage, however, Bartlett eyed the Lieutenant. "Do the marine fighters need special drills? Has performance been low, Lieutenant?"

"No.....and it's Marine Captain ensign." Tripae said, "but the fighters are a big part of the defense of the ship so we want to keep the squadron well trained to help protect the lives of the Vindicator." The Marine said looking at the ensign, "it's just like you running tactical drills even when we're in a time of peace.

Bartlett looked at the flight officer's collar and nodded passively, "Oh my mistake, Marine Captain. That sounds fine. Will you need the entire flight deck to yourself for these exercises?"

The Marine Captain looked at the ensign, "Ensign you're aware that the flight deck is for Marine fighter use only. Than all the auxiliary craft use the shuttle bays?" Tripae asked now wondering if this was a smart move to do the exercises with this women in-charge.

Now this was beginning to press the young leader's patience. "Actually, yes. I did know that. I assumed other things besides landing practices happened on the flight deck. Seeing as how you're in charge of said flight deck... I would have also imagined you'd handle routine drills on your own schedule. Since you came to me with this, I also had to assume it was for a reason.

"Silly of me to leap to such broad conclusions, I suppose." Tiffany said cattily. "Your flight operations are approved. Is there anything else, 'Marine Captain'?"

"Thank you ma'am. Also any and all flight operations are still needing approval from the CT and CDO if the CT is not around." Tripae said spinning and walking off the bridge and back to her domain TiC.

Tiffany continued to read her report, the Captain's hurried exit barely registering as she filed away another report.

"Good chat," she said quietly to herself.

=/\= END LOG =/\=

Ensign Tiffany Bartlett
Chief Duty Officer (Acting CO)

Captain Tripae Lione
Chief Combat Information Officer
USS VINDICATOR

 

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