JDL|XO/CSEC|Ltcmdr. Dhej & Lt. Lucas|"Aftermath...."

Posted on 241409.07 @ 9:43pm by Lieutenant Alyssa Lucas

Mission: Suicidal Running Title
Timeline: After the meeting

Dismissed from the meeting, Alyssa was one of the first one's up as she headed out of the ready room. She needed a gym, but the only one on the Ship was open to all and that wasn't what she wanted. She had no desire to deal with anyone at the moment, well... save for the holographic image she was planning on beating the crap out of, depending on what she set the hologram for.

She wasn't sure why the Commander irritated her the way she did, after all no matter what the woman's delusional mind may lead her to believe she didn't know everything. She'd proven that when she'd said Eggs Benedict that one time. If she'd known half of what she thought she did, she would have seen in her jacket where is stated she had an aversion to Hollandaise sauce because it made her sick.

So lost in her thoughts she was, that she almost missed hearing the Commander calling her. Stopping, she turned to look at him silently.

Catching up to her, Karim said "May I walk with you Lieutenant? Or are you in a hurry to get somewhere?"

"No where important." Alyssa said with a slight shrug, having no doubt she was likely about to get a lecture from the man for her earlier reaction. But, logically she knew it was due. "You can walk with me."

Nodding, he took a moment while they were walking down the corridor, and then said "I'm sorry if I upset you with the .... dressing down I did in the meeting. I felt it was necessary for us to focus on our duties, and not on interpersonal problems we may have with other officers."

"You didn't Sir, it was due." Aly said with a slight shrug as they walked. "I should have kept myself in check and worded things a bit more... respectfully."

Sighing, he said "Exactly Lieutenant. I understand that you are frustrated with some of the aspects of the way this investigation is proceeding. You do have to try to let others contribute when they can. I know that you want to be in the middle of things, it doesn't take a telepath to know that. I just ask that going forward you come to me or the captain about your concerns, and not bring them up in a staff meeting."

"Can't go to the Captain." She muttered before shaking her head with a glance over to him. "My frustrations have nothing to do with the investigation. But don't worry Sir, from now on I'll simply keep my thoughts and concerns to myself."

Turning a corner, Karim sighed and said "If you choose to do that, fine. Just know that if you need to talk I am here. Not just as your XO, but as someone to vent to if you need it ok?"

Sighing softly, Aly stopped in mid step and looked over to Karin. "Look, it's hard to do my job when people on this ship think they know it all and nothing else anyone could possibly say could be right. You and the Captain want people to work together, perhaps you two should talk to the real issue. Then maybe I could actually get work done and we might all be able to get to the bottom of things. Oh that's right, the Captain is to busy seeing the 'issue' to be able to see that she is part of the problem."

Alyssa sighed and shook her head as she realized she'd blurted out more than she'd meant to. "Sorry"

Tensing during her rant, Karim stopped mid stride, took a moment to calm himself and said "I will choose to ignore your ... comments Lieutenant. I would caution you to make such comments again, as they almost sounded as if they could be seen as insubordination and disrespect of a senior officer. Perhaps I didn't hear them correctly?"

Aly just looked at him a moment with a slightly dropped jaw. Did he not just say... and now she gets in trouble for venting like he had said she could. Anger boiled within and she gritted her teeth a moment before putting herself in check, for the moment. "Perhaps not, Commander. Just as I didn't." The last part slightly muttered before she spoke again. "If there is nothing else, Sir. I have work to do."

Stopping her before she left, he said "I'm sorry Lieutenant. I seem to be an expert at saying the wrong things. You can vent all you want, but there is a fine line between venting and making inappropriate comments." Sighing, he turned away and added quietly "Mavala would've been better at this. She would've understood."

She stood silently, tense and near at attention as she struggled to keep herself in check. Working to remind herself that people didn't like hearing the truth, especially when it came from a lowly Lieutenant. His last comment threw her off, and she made a mental note to check out that name. but he'd turned from her and she took that as a silent dismissal and started off once more. The gym no longer her target, but the shooting range was now.

Hearing her leave, he turned and said "Lieutenant... Alyssa, please wait. I understand how you may be feeling better then you know. I used to be a security officer, and I was a strong and determined woman just like you. I had to deal with situations I didn't like often, and that me questioning a lot of what happened on my ship."

Hearing him address her, she stopped and glanced back to him. Brows started furrowing as she listened to him, her body slowly turning some to face him straight on as she quickly worked to absorb what he'd said with a cant of her head as a slight huh? look crossed her features.

For a moment even her emotions and anger seemed to came to a dead halt as she studied him. "You were a... wait... I..." Well hell, she wasn't sure what to say and even more she was unsure of what to say properly considering the current way people were flipping on her.

Shaking his head, and trying not to look at her in the eyes, he replied "Sorry, I tend to forget to use the proper tenses. I was a security officer named Mavala. She was a lot like you, and I remember she had a lot of similar opinions to you. Also, I need to be honest with you, I'm still learning how to be a command officer, and I may be doing things not exactly the right way. Do you know what I was doing before I was assigned as XO?"

Well at least she knew she'd heard him right, though she was still working on processing that when he added to it. He was new... she knew the Captain was new. Great... no wonder this ship seemed to be struggling, who was the bright idea to make this mess. Oh, that would have been Admiral Malone... Hmm, one might wonder about him too and she almost smirked a little with that thought. -It would be smart to keep that thought to herself.-

Shaking her head a little to refocus herself. "No, I don't... hadn't taken to reading your Jacket yet, Sir." Although it sounded like she really needed too!

With a sigh he replied, "I was a medical researcher, and before that a Chief Medical Officer. I've taken command courses, and the bridge officers courses, but this is my first time in a pure command role. So I'm trying to say I'm sorry if I say things wrong. I'm trying to get used to the role, and I tend to be a bit of a ...letter of the law person when I'm trying to balance my duties and being a friend." Pausing, he added "I know I may have confused you, and opened the door to have you share your frustrations with me, then slammed it in your face when you did so. Please, forgive me if I upset you. You do tend to speak your mind quite ... colorfully though, a lot like Mavala used to."

She didn't know if she wanted to ask more about this... his... err... Mavala. Or if she wanted to give him some advice. Calming down a little as she listened to him she spoke softly. "If I may, Sir.... speak freely?" She decided to ask after a moment.

Nodding as he leaned against the wall of the corridor, he said "Go ahead Lieutenant."

Taking a deep breath she pondered her words a moment. "I can only imagine how hard it is for you, being knew to command and all. Heck, I thought it was hard just going up to a department head. But, take a moment to think how your previous commander officers were. If you're unsure of how to deal with something. Ask them what they would do." She chewed on her lower lip a moment before continuing. "And don't be sorry all the time, if you feel you are right on something. Stay strong... isn't that what Mavala would do?"

Smiling slightly, Karim replied "Thanks Alyssa I appreciate it. I'll take that to heart. Again, I'm sorry for the comments I made that may have upset you." Pausing, he added "You know what? I think Mavala would've liked you. I'm almost sure of it."

"May I ask... what happened to Mavala... you?" Aly asked curiously.

Nodding, Karim replied "I died, sorry, I mean Mavala was fatally injured on an away mission and was close to death. I was the CMO of that ship, and made the decision to join with Dhej or the symbiont would've died along with her. It was a very ... hard decision to make, but I know Mavala would've respected it."

Alyssa nodded as she listened, sometimes it was hard to make life choices like that, it was something she'd understood well. She was tired, stressed... yet amazingly enough she was a bit calmer now then she'd been. She had someone here she could talk to, at least, she'd hoped. And that was something that she'd been needing, even more so with Ricky being unreachable. "Thanks Commander."

Smiling again, Karim replied "Anytime Lieutenant. I'll try not to be so hard on you if I can ok? Let me know if you need to talk, and I promise I'll try to listen before reacting ok?"

"Will do, Sir." Aly said with a soft smile of her own. "Shall we get back to work?"

Nodding,he replied "I need to get to my office and update some reports, I'll see you soon ok?"

"Aye, Commander." With a deep breath taken and that smile, Alyssa waited for Dhej to start off before she headed off herself.

With a nod, he turned and made his way down the corridor, en route to his office.

=/\=End Log=/\=
Lieutenant Commander Karim Dhej
Executive Officer
USS Enterprise 1701-F

Lieutenant Alyssa Lucas
Chief Security Officer
USS Enterprise 1701-F