Joint Duty Log | Capt Ivanova Cmdr PontBrillant - "TBD"

Posted on Tue Aug 19th, 2014 @ 5:02pm by Admiral Rochelle Ivanova & Vlimar PontBrillant

2,085 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: In the Dark
Location: Captain's Ready Room, Deck 1

As Vlimar was riding the Turbolift, he thought about the recent events. As the ship was slowly, but surely, getting ready to leave the shipyards, Vlimar had witnessed many events that made him relive his first command, on board the SSS AlphaGold, many years ago. At that time, he often felt alone against the world, supported by a very ambitious XO who would not hesitate to take as much space as it was possible to. Including the fact that the sole purpose of being a Starship Captain is to be the absolute leader of a group of ambitious, skilled officers, but it is as well to keep a toll on everything that occurs, ship wide and fleet wide, while approaching issues proactively. Therefore, such a job could make one feel the winds coming strong against him. As he was thought, it is useless to fight against the wind, you have to simply trim your sails and keep going.

Vlimar had been wishing for a moment with Rochelle to discuss and offer her any help possible. However, the timing was often wrong or too many witnesses were around to listen in the conversation, which would be absolutely improper in the circumstances. When he saw that he had been booked for a Department Status Meeting with the CO, a meeting that is usually done in private, he wanted to use the opportunity to speak to her about his thoughts.

Slowly, the Turbolift stopped at Deck 1. The door opened and Vlimar walked out of the nearly empty bridge, except for the Beta Shift Commander, who kept the communication lines open and made such that all systems were managed properly. Vlimar walked directly towards the ready room and pressed on the chime.

The ready room had become her sanctuary -- far enough from the solitude of her massive quarters and close enough to the action that she felt distinctly safe and oddly comfortable as she sat behind the rich red wood desk. In her hand was a PADD outlining the current status of the fleet, which ships were in the good fight, which had defected, which had hidden. There was a response for each. The twitch of her nose, the furrowing of a brow, a heavy sigh. The Vindicator, however, stood out as a crown jewel. Shining. Exemplary. Even as she sat in the ship yards being repaired and taking on new crew.

Being a Captain, becoming a Commanding Officer, had been an easy role for the young woman to slip into and one she took in easy stride. The Griffin had been left to her with Andrea's grievous injuries for nearly a year and in that time she had been wildly successful in battle and in diplomacy -- but even the best need their mentors and the best are only as good as the crews they serve.

The sound of the chime broke her from her reading, immediately she straightened up in her seat, her legs crossing and a single foot moving to cover the Landon's coffee stain on the carpet. She'd never let it be replaced, distinctly his. A memory. An homage. "Enter." She called.

Vlimar saw the door open in front of his eyes. As the door slid, the face of Rochelle appeared, behind a massive wooden desk. He entered slowly and waited for the door to close behind him, smiling. As he heard the door coming to a halt, Vlimar took another step forward.

"Captain.", he said, tilting his head. "As requested, I have forwarded the Initial, pre-departure report from OPS to your profile. I have brought a copy for your convenience.", he said, calmly, showing the PADD in his right hand.

Well aware of the solemn purpose of his visit, initially, he wanted to get rid of the official aspect of the meeting right away.

"Perfect, thank you." She replied, accepting the PADD from the man's hand and immediately setting it down in front of her, motioning for him to take a seat. "Help yourself to whatever you like." Said Rochelle as she scrolled through the information, the reference made to the replicator that sat close at hand. She hadn't seen him since he'd made his appearance at the ceremony, but whispers had collected on the wind of his interaction with the ship's XO and the diligence of his work. Another ghost, another legend, another name that made people stand up and take notice. The fact that hey paid such grand attention had forced Rochelle herself to dig deeper and learn more.

Vlimar, during that time, walked to the replicator, requested a dark bold coffee, took the cup and sat into the chair offered by Rochelle.

Looking up, she folded her hands over the PADD, "I'm glad the sensors weren't too badly damaged." The chit chat began.

Vlimar shrugged. "No, they weren't. However, the repair might take more time than expected, but it'll be concurrent with out current docking time in any fashion.", he replied. "The ship did take quite a beating, for something of its caliber...", he added, before stating "For what I've read and been told, this ship was lucky to have you as its skipper...". He took a short sip of his coffee.

"The ship is lucky to have Commander Dahe'el as her engineer. I had nothing to do with it." Rochelle waved her hand dismissively at the notion, sitting back deeper in her seat, "I was down on that planet with Captain Neyes. The Commander took the ship into the atmosphere to bring us back." Snow. She'd never forget the snow or the wind or the feeling of despair, the feeling of dying, of being hunted, mortally wounded. She'd never forget the feeling of that leap of faith. She shivered and stiffened, chasing away the memories with a hard swallow. "So," she said, her voice a bit rough, "We're lucky to be in one piece and here at all given the fact that this ship was most definitely not built for atmospheric flight."

Vlimar observed Rochelle during that brief moment. He already had read the reports and noticed the various heroic actions done by various people of this ship. He knew that Rochelle was downplaying her own role. He offered Rochelle a calm, warm smile and leaned forward. "As a true Captain, you direct merit to your team... as a true Captain, however, you lead them to glory.", replied Vlimar, philosophically. "Life will always bring you challenges, test your limits and, when you realize you at one end, you will see the walls tear down, the true value of those who you trust...", he added, freely.

Vlimar stopped, silent. Obviously visiting the memory lane himself, he snapped back out of it quickly, looking back at Rochelle. "We all do what we need to do. One day, hopefully, we will all accept to make peace with those memories and move on."

"I don't know what tales you're being spun down on those decks, Commander, but I assure you if anything I was the reason this ship nearly came to pieces." Rochelle chuckled, sardonically, studying his face as she remained at the back of her chair, "In that moment I was the princess that needed rescue, and without that rescue I wouldn't be here talking to you today." It didn't matter that she'd been kidnapped, that she'd fought against her attackers valiantly to escape -- all that mattered, in her mind, was that Landon was dead, the ship nearly destroyed and to the end that she'd been saved, resurrected from Death's grasp. She'd never admit it to him, someone she barely knew, but to her the result didn't justify the means. She should have been left for dead. Philosopher or not, he'd likely never agree or understand the stance she'd taken within herself.

"Making peace with those memories would be nice." She mused out loud, slipping for a moment before catching herself, "And someday I'm sure we all will. But I doubt that's why you're here, Commander, certainly you didn't come all the way up here just to tell me to commune with ghosts and say my 'Hail Mary's?"

Vlimar smiled and nodded. He took a small sip of his coffee, and slowly moved the cup onto the coffee table next to him. "May I call you Rochelle?", he asked, prior from saying his true purpose for being there.

"If you give me a reason to allow you to do so." Rochelle replied, watching him with avid interest now, curious of his intentions and the real reason he'd taken the time to travel to the bridge that day.

Vlimar grinned. He understood the possible dilemma that would be raging inside her soul. He wanted to offer her an extended hand, but, somehow, sometimes such offers can be seen as a token of mistrust, which was far from Vlimar's intention or beliefs.

"Rochelle, as you may know, I have been in your shoes before.", he began. "It is quite a singular event to be named Commanding Officer of your first vessel, especially when that nomination is not in response to an imminent emergency.", he continued. Vlimar was obviously looking for the proper way to formulate his thoughts, in a careful manner not to offend Rochelle or anyone else. "You have been gifted with an obvious leadership vibe, you lead by example, a quality that most Starfleet Captains can only aspire to imitate. However, you will find that, at times, the sea will be rocking more than you thought. A ship is always as good as its crew, non-withstanding its promises or appearance.", continued Vlimar. "As such, I wish to tell you that...", said Vlimar, stopping to contemplate his own words. "... I will be there, if you require assistance or, as any person, you need to unload frustration, bounce ideas or anything to that matter.", he said. "I have been there and I can be there for you, if you choose to use me.", he concluded.

The woman was quiet for a long moment, considering the distinguished looking man and the words he offered. In a matter of truth, the regal little Captain didn't know the man from Adam, had never served with him, had never truly seen him perform -- aside from on the dance floor. She'd read his service record, if only to know what exactly she'd inherited the moment he'd been assigned to the ship, her ship. Most would have been intimidated by such a record, but Rochelle had never been a lemming, she'd been intrigued and perhaps a little excited at the prospect of having just such an officer aboard. But now he was here, offering himself to her, as if he were some knight promising to be her champion.

The metaphor nearly made her smile.

"I'm sure there will be times when I seek out your expertise, Commander." She nodded as she spoke, "I'd be a fool not to, but I believe we need to learn one another before either can give or receive advise. However," Her hand ran along the desk's smooth surface in front of her, relishing in the cool, sleek wood, "I'm willing to put the effort in." And for his troubles, he was awarded a rarity; a smile.

Vlimar nodded. There was no sense in pushing the point any further: he made the offer, it was received. He slowly stood, and smiled. "Thank you, Captain, that's all I can ask for.", he said. He nodded with his head and added. "Have a good day, Rochelle."

A nod in return and the woman rose to her feet, matching him out of respect as she sought to see the officer off. He was a different sort of fellow, something strange, some deep... Complex. Learning to work with him would prove an interesting task, not unlike learning to navigate a maze. "If you're free, I'd suggest we do lunch at some point." And so it began. The normally introverted hellion was slowly, and certainly, forcing herself out into the role of Captain -- and an open one at that even if the sound of her first name seemed so foreign. "Until then, you do the same."

Vlimar nodded as he exited her office. "Lunch it is, let me know when it is convenient for you...", replied Vlimar.

Rochelle's only response was a nod of her own and an exasperated sigh as the doors slid shut behind him.

-=- END LOG -=-

Captain Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR

&

Commander Vlimar PontBrillant
Chief of Operations
USS Vindicator

 

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