Interludes - Ithahr & Grant

Posted on Saturday April 10th, 2021 @ 10:31pm by Lieutenant Commander Curzon Bennett

Mission: Jeepers Creepers 2: Creepers In Flight
Location: Operations Office
Timeline: 239408.11

::ON::

Jo had heard that they had a new Executive officer and she felt that it was time to meet him considering she was the only ops officer on the station.

=/\=Ensign Grant to Commander th'Shrannok, I request an interview with you to discuss current operations. =/\= Jo requested.

Sat in his office with a small mountain of PADDs scattered across his desk, Ithahr raised his head at comms ping. Antennae twitching, he wondered who would be so bold as to contact him first, rather than wait to see when was convenient for the senior officer. Gumption, he'd called it heard on Earth, I like that.

'This is Commander th'Shrannok,' he began, hitting the communicator pin on his chest. A thought hit him, 'I'll be down to the ... Operations office momentarily - I trust that to be convenient?'

=/\= Yes Sir thank you, I will be here. =/\=

Ithahr made the journey to the Operations Office. He enjoyed this part of the job, the initial exploration of a new assignment. The Andorian was enjoying moving about the station, becoming acquainted with the old girl as he'd started calling her in his head.

Stepping off the turbolift, he made his way down the twists and turns of the base's corridor, and stepped in to the room. 'Ensign Grant?' he called out.

"Right here Sir." Jo said.

Jo rose from her desk respectfully.

"Thanks for coming can I get you anything to drink?" Jo asked.

Noticing the absence of other crewmembers in the office, Ithahr's antennae continued to twitch quite violently, betraying his inner disquiet. 'Yes,' he ventured eventually, 'water, if you could, Ensign Grant.' Looking about the office, his eyes alighted on the chair in front of her desk, 'may I take a seat?' Stealing a look at one of the Operations readouts he saw most of the systems were operating within tolerable capacities - although some were barely making the grade.

"Yes Sir please do." Jo said.

"Computer water 5 degrees Celcius". She said.

Jo got the water and gave it too him.

"Sir I asked you here because I wanted to ask permission to apply for the Chief of Ops job.

"I've been the only officer here now for over a month and thought I might as well apply for the job I was doing. Unless of course you have found someone better?" Jo stated.

Ithahr resisted staring slack-jawed at the Ensign. Instead he chuckled as he accepted the glass of water. 'No, I'm not aware that we have found a replacement. Certainly no personnel files have come across my desk relating to a new Chief of Operations. You've really been the only Ops officer stationed aboard station thus far? And brought it all online?' In truth, Ithahr found the audaciousness of the junior officer's request to be exciting. To be that young and have such character!.

"Well I didn't bring it all online but I am certainly keeping it all online, Sir. There was another ops officer but he is gone now. I guess he didn't work out." Jo said.

'No it seems not,' replied Ithahr, without giving any information away. In truth the previous occupant had found the stress of bringing and entire Stardock-class facility back online too much, and had had to be transferred away so he could recover from it. He was currently using up his lengthy shoreleave on Risa. Quite lucky really. 'And you think you can do this, full time?'

"Yes Sir I believe I can." Jo replied.

"Besides you need more officers with a can do attitude and the ability to get things done." Jo added.

'That is certainly true,' replied Ithahr after some moments of consideration. 'And it is true that you have been doing the work of a Chief of Operations whether you wanted to or not. As far as I have seen, and the reports I have read, you have acquitted yourself well,' he said earnestly, settling into his chair and folding his legs. 'Unfortunately,' he continued gravely, 'it is not within my gift to grant you a promotion. I'll have to enquire through the usual official channels. I can assure you, however, that you have my full support in this, and that I will push for recognition of your work. Is this acceptable to yourself?'

"It is Sir and thank you for your consideration". Jo said.

'Good,' replied Ithahr, thankful they'd gotten to a cordial start. As he sipped the water he gave her a look, 'I've had a chance to read your file, but tell me about yourself - service and the like.' The Andorian had found that officers usually concentrated on what was most important to themselves when talking.

Believe it or not I was born on a small farm on the planet Axanar. I believe in hard work but I have no desire to be a farmer, so when I got the chance I left home and joined starfleet. I hate to say it because it sounds cliche but I'm really a down to earth person. I like too run and generally do so to not only stay in shape but to think about things. You know balance myself out. I ran cross country at the academy. Came in first place in the female category. What about you I don't know many Andorians, you must have several fascinating stories to tell. Jo said.

'Well, I'm third or fourth generation Starfleet, depending on how you count Andorian generations,' Ithahr smiled warmly, 'so you could say it's a family tradition - we're nothing special, not like some of the older families in the clan, but we've done our part. Mostly Security officers as you'd expect, but we've had a few Medical Doctors and Intel analysts in the family line.' He leaned forward, 'we don't have farms on Andoria - tell me, what's it like to grow up on one?'

"Believe me Sir I much prefer my current duties to that of farming. You get up very early to feed the livestock, then you work the land, ours was separated into a triad so that we could constantly rotate the land to replenish the soil. The idea is to try to keep everything in a natural balance. Its a 28 hours a day job though. A lot of it is very regimented because there is always something else to do. Did you know that Axanar is in a binary star system with two K class stars? People who live there aren't afraid of the night. Not quite as bright as say Sol but there are two of them and they make enough like and heat to make Axanar a great farm world. We grew Quadrotriticale, Soy, Potatoes, Carrots and other spicy roots." Jo said.

Ithahr whistled, 'I'd be hard pressed to find a job more demanding than Starfleet, but it seems you've just listed it. I can't say I envy the long hours you'd need to work to make a success of the farming business.' Ithahr leaned in as he listened, 'I'm afraid I'm completely ignorant when it comes to Axanar, Ensign - with binary suns, how does that affect the day/night cycle?'

Axanar had 28 hour days, so needless to say I am sleeping much better here, Sir." Jo replied.

'Yes, I imagine having Starfleet set its own day and night cycles to Earth standard has done wonders for your sleeping pattern. Sometimes I wonder if we ever really adapt to alien worlds, or whether we just get ... used to how they make us feel.' Ithahr smiled gently, 'I'm fairly sure that I've been crankier since joining Starfleet and adapting to the Earth standard model of timekeeping.'

"Oh? What were you used too, Sir?" Jo asked.

'We live underground on Andoria, so our day/night cycle is incredibly different as you may imagine,' replied Ithahr. 'Adjusting to the fact Earthers enjoy having a star appear during the daytime was adjustment enough at the Academy before we even begin talking about the effects of such an open world on an Andorian. I spent a lot of time talking it through with Counsellors, I don't mind telling you. It got better once I received my postings, however.'

"Pardon me Sir, I may be Human but I am not an earther, though I have to admit growing up on a planet with two sun's that rises each day and that has four moons to keep the night sky lit is fairly enduring to me, plays havoc on your circadium rthyms though.." Jo replied.

'My apologies, Ensign, I didn't mean to imply that you were an Earther. Merely that my time on Earth required a lot of adjustment when I joined the Academy,' Ithahr smiled contritely. 'Your homeplanet does sound beautiful, you must miss it at times?'

"While I don't miss farming in any sense of the word, I do sometimes miss Axanar, its a beautiful planet if you have the right kind of eyes to appreciate it." Jo said.

'Most planets require the right eyes. To most, Andoria is a harsh moon that has little going for it. But our homework, to me, transcends any other planet I have had the good fortune to find myself on. It has been too long since I set foot there,' Ithahr concluded wistfully.

"Actually I would like to see it sometime if that is allowed." Jo said.

'Andoria? It's free for anyone to visit,' Ithahr beemed a blue-toothed smiled in delight at the statement, 'it's true we keep some of our more, ah, volatile brothers and sisters restricted to Andoria and her colonies, but I believe it's considered to be quite the holiday destination - particularly if you can get to the surface and do some hiking, temperatures and weather permitting.'

"I would love to visit perhaps when I have enough leave saved up." Jo replied.

'Well, when you do, please let me know - I can provide you with some tourist guides and company links that can help design a tour around your specific wishes,' replied Ithahr earnestly. 'It's not often humans express a desire to visit my homeworld. It is refreshing.'

"I would almost be as much of an alien on my home world as you. There is a whole galaxy of things I want to see." Jo replied.

'That I can believe,' Ithahr replied as he finished the last of his water. 'I think it's something every Starfleet Officer has in common, whatever department or assignment we take. At heart we're explorers, and we all want to see as much of the world around us as possible,' he quirked a smile, 'even those who take command postings aboard Starbases.'

"And those that keep then running. Thank you for your Time Sir, it was a real pleasure to meet you." Jo said.

'The pleasure was mine, Ensign. I'm fervently hoping your Good work going forward is rewarded - you should make Assistant Chief at least.' Ithahr got to his feet, 'I'll not take up more of your time, Grant. If you have any need of me, you know where to find me.'


::OFF::
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A post by:

Lieutenant Commander Ithahr th'Shrannock
Executive Officer
Deep Space Three

Ensign Josephine Grant
Operations Officer
Deep Space Three