Meeting the XO

Posted on 04 Aug 2021 @ 12:51am by Commander Amelia Fox & Lieutenant JG Jarzo Chtissi

Mission: Picking up the pieces
Location: Xo's office
Timeline: MD1 1500
1386 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

On:

In checking off his to-do list, things that he needed to accomplish after his arrival, Jarzo realized he'd missed a very important step; meeting the XO. For most of his career, this was always an interesting step. Executive Officers seem to come in two varieties. You had the ones who were comfortable in their job, settled in, and down to Earth. They were the mentors, the helpers, and the ones willing to lend a hand. Then you had the ones who were attempting to make a name for themselves. These people wanted a command. This type didn't care who they stepped on to get to that command, just as long as their path led to that centre chair.

Jarzo waited outside the Commander's office for a bit, trying to steel himself for whatever type of XO was on the other side of the door. He'd dealt with both over the years and certainly enjoying working with the first type. They were more of a team player. He straightened his uniform as he polished a spot from his chair. "First impressions, after all," he muttered to himself waiting for the cue that it was ok to enter the office.

It had been a rough night for Amelia. The baby had decided to exercise last night which had resulted in not much sleep for Amelia. She had managed to get a few hours but still, she was really missing caffeine at the moment. It's a good job that she had picked a liking for rooibos tea from Syvar. She had just waddled over to her replicator and picked up a cup when her door chime sounded. She took a sip first and then called out "Come in."

Jarzo moved into the centre of the room, as he approached the desk. He took only a brief second to look around the room trying to get a feel for the occupant of the room before he spoke. "Commander," Jarzo nodded, as he looked at the Officer. "Lieutenant Jarzo Chtissi, Chief Diplomat. I apologize, I hadn't made it to your office yet. Things have been a bit, interesting," he noticed the pregnancy. "Congratulations," he mentioned, hoping he hadn't overstepped.

Amelia smiled as she sat down. "Thank you. It's no problem Lieutenant, yes things have been rather interesting lately. I'm still coming to terms with being mentally regressed to a child on our last away mission. Having the mind of a child and carrying one yourself was.... an experience I can tell you. Also, someone decided to do some gymnastics last night" She added patting her bump. "Not to mention my mirror universe counterpart still causing trouble. All in all, does not add up to a great night's sleep."

Several things in that sentence caught his attention and made him really want to dig into the logs. Mirror Universe, which especially piqued his interest. However, for now, he opted not to ask. This wasn't the time, nor the place. "I hear being with child is a joy, and a blessing," he grinned, "looks a bit painful to me," he laughed. "But, once they are here," he smiled, "I understand they, children, add so much to your life." He wanted a family in time, a wife, children. But his career had taken him so far from his home, that he was starting to wonder if that would ever happen.

"Well, I hope so. I have 2 brothers back on Earth. One older and one younger." Amelia replied. "And I can tell you looking after my younger brother was defiantly a handful. Is there anything I can fill you in on? About the Andromeda and the mission that is." She asked, taking a sip of her tea.

"I would be lying if I didn't feel a bit behind," he admitted, "a lot has happened here and in a very short time. I've been able to read some of the logs and now just attempting to figure out my place in this midst of all of this. I understand from your," he paused, "our Captain, that things in your first meeting with these people didn't go so well. But that future interactions are highly possible, and required?"

"Well, that depends on who you're referring to," Amelia said. "We seem to have made an unfavourable impression with quite a few in the sector. First, you've got the Cetea who seem to blame the Federation for the Bak'u incident and have sworn revenge. Then you've got the Don's who run the black market operations in this area. They abducted some of the crew and tried to sell them into slavery. Then you've got the Nigattri, the local traders who use to run the market on Meladoste. Now after the latest incident, they have removed the market and we've been blackballed by them. The local Orions who were stripping Villanueva of every weapon and piece of technology and medical research they could lay their hands on and the final cherry on the bad cake would be my Mirror counterpart who is selling off planet killers and weapons for as much Platinum as she can get her hands on and now I've just learnt that she poisoned an entire planet before killing the colony's leader and escaping." She took a deep breath. "Where do you want to start?"

"How about a drink," he was half-joking. "I can honestly say I am not sure where to start in that." He thought for a moment. "What is Villanueva?" he asked. Out of everything in that statement, it was the one thing that stood out. Not for its violence, kidnapping, or drugs; but the simple fact he didn't know what it was. "After that, I have to admit I am interested in the Dons, and their black market."

"Villanueva is where we are currently en route to. One of the Dons directed us to it. From what we could tell from our first away mission there, it seemed to be some sort of ancient weapons repository including a number of Planet killers. There were some groups there, including Scientists and Naussicans who seemed to be trying to work out how to reactivate and use not only all the ancient technology, but any medial or DNA they could find." That's where we encounter my mirror universe counterpart who had managed to sell one of the planet killers to the Cetea. Fortunately, we managed to render it inactive but at the cost of the USS Europa." She took a breath before adding "Would you like a drink?"

Jarzo nodded, "that is quite the adventure," he was still trying to process all of what the Commander said. "Yes, please," he replied. "I am fond of that drink tea iced. It's quite refreshing." He looked at the Commander for a bit, "and in this adventure, where do you see me fitting into this in the larger sense?"

Amelia went over to the replicator and came back with an iced tea for Jarzo. "We're going to need your diplomatic finesse here. None of these scavengers has any legitimate right to this technology but unfortunately, neither do we. Also, we haven't exactly made the best impression in this region. We're going to have to make some friends, probably with the Dons. You feel up to the challenge?"

"Not knowing these Dons, or their culture, I could say yes but then that could be taken as arrogance. I will give the situation all that I can and use whatever resources I have. But these people are very unique and it will take a lot to get through to them," Jarzo responded as he sipped his tea. "We didn't make a good impression the first time and that will certainly be used against us, so now our job is to make a better second impression. Which all things considered, shouldn't be too hard," he smiled.

Suddenly a voice came over the comm system. "We're approaching the planet Villanueva. All senior officers report to the bridge."

"Time to put those diplomatic skills to the test," Amelia said as she stood up from her desk. "Come on, let's see if we can make a better impression this time?"

"Sounds like a plan, Commander," Jarzo replied as he followed the Commander.

OFF:

Commander Amelia Fox
XO
USS Andromeda

Jarzo Chtissi
Chief Diplomatic Officer