Joint Duty Log | Capt Ivanova, Lt Novak | "Duty Calls"

Posted on Mon Sep 1st, 2014 @ 12:53am by Lieutenant Henry Novak & Admiral Rochelle Ivanova

1,050 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Are You Touched?
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: Current

= Bridge, USS Vindicator =

As the turbolift opened and Henry stepped out onto the bridge for the first time, he found it even more intimidating than the holodeck simulation he used to familiarise himself with the Vindicator a few weeks before he transferred on board. The large bridge was busy, as was to be expected of a ship the Vindicator's size; even still drydocked at the shipyard, there was constant activity in the ship's command center. Looking to conn station, immediately he could feel his palms grow sweaty and he had a flash of himself sitting at his post, his slippery hands sliding off the console as he tried to maneuver the behemoth out of the Qu'Vat shipyard.

Not the best thing to think about before meeting the CO. Quickly wiping his palms on the side of his uniform pants and putting all thoughts of possibly colliding the ship with a Klingon workbee aside, he hurried over to the ready room door and pressed the chime, waiting for a response.

Rochelle was enjoying the relative quiet of her ready room, something by Vivaldi lilting softly from the computer as she stood and stretched as she meandered out from behind her desk in search of something sweet. She was just about to draw a breath to order from the replicator when the chime to her door announced that her solitude was about to be broken. "Enter." The little woman called, looking wistfully at the replicator. Her frozen treat would have to wait until later.

The door opened and Henry's eyes fell on the captain standing by the replicator as he stepped inside. She was a much more petite person than he had expected her to be, but coming from a Starfleet family - most of whom were women - he knew very well that dynamite came in small packages.

"Lieutenant Henry Novak, Flight Control Officer, reporting for duty, ma'am," he greeted his new CO.

For her size, Captain Ivanova was an elegant creature, well proportioned and perhaps even deer-like the way she carried herself with power lurking just beneath the surface. "Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Novak." She replied, studying him as he studied her. The dirty blonde man was so much taller than her, but fresh faced if maybe a little nervous. "Can I offer you a drink?"

"No, thank you, ma'am," Henry replied with a shake of his head. "I just came from the mess hall. May I offer my congratulations, I understand you were recently promoted to commanding officer."

"Glad to see you're learning your way around the ship." She nodded, leaving the replicator on an empty return trip back around her big redwood desk. A sad little smile graced her facial features as he offered her his congratulations. "Thank you. Please, make yourself comfortable." The story behind her promotion was a long one. A tale of tragedy and woe that still dug its claws deep into the heart of the great beast known as Vindicator -- but it wasn't worth rehashing. He'd soon hear the rumors and know the details as they were whispered from the lips of the crew as if they were telling some romantic ghost story. A Captain losing his life to rescue his Executive Officer, the woman he loved but denied for sake of his ship and position, it made for a good listen at the very least. "Tell me a bit more about yourself. What brings you to the Vindicator?" She settled for small talk instead as she settled into her seat.

"Both my parents are Starfleet captains, with the Corps of Engineers and the Diplomatic Corps respectively," Henry explained. "My sister is a science officer stationed on Deep Space 4. When the civil war broke out, it was clear where my loyalties lay. Unfortunately it's been difficult to stay in touch and I haven't seen them since it happened."

Rochelle sat back and listened to him spin his tale, enlightening her to the family history that drove and compelled him to make the jump. "And it will be until the war is over. I've made promises to afford the crew every chance to contact their loved ones. That offer is, of course, extended to you as well."

"Thank you, ma'am," Henry nodded sincerely. "I appreciate that. I've been trying unsuccessfully to contact my grandmother on Delta Aquilae IV... the colony where I'm from. Apparently the new government has sided with Fed First and have been blocking all Starfleet communication requests. I'm no political analyst, but I suspect more will follow suit."

Furrowed brows marked the redhead's concern, painting it across her face as if it were a canvas. "I'll see what my personal connections can dig up." She nodded, somber at the thought of missing family.

"I'm looking forward to taking out the Vindicator," Henry said and smiled. "She's the biggest ship I've probably been on. A magnificent feat of design. My previous assigned was a Steamrunner class, so quite a bit smaller. My only experience flying the Discovery-class has been in holodeck simulations." He tugged at his jacket sleeve and added as a joke, "So far I haven't crashed it."

"Well then," the Captain grinned, tugging on the hem of her tunic to straighten it out, "I'll inform Commander Dahe'el that you approve his handiwork and Crewman Thomas will be taking her out of the shipyards tonight. My suggestion is to learn through experience, I'll arrange for you to work with him to learn everything this lovely bird can do, if you'd like."

"Thank you, ma'am, I'd appreciate that," Henry said, eager to learn from more experienced hands. "Is there anything specific you'd like me to attend to before we get underway?"

"You're welcome to settle in or assist with pre-warp checks." The grin became more of a warm smile, pleased to see the eagerness building within the officer in front of her.

"I'll get in touch with engineering about the pre-warp checks," Henry nodded. "I look forward to seeing you on the bridge, ma'am."

"I look forward to serving with you, Lieutenant. See you on the bridge." Rochelle replied with a happy nod. The Vindicator was in fine hands. This she was absolutely certain of.

---

Captain Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR

&

Lieutenant Henry Novak
Flight Control Officer
USS VINDICATOR

 

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