The New Boss

Posted on Tue Feb 3, 2015 @ 3:54am by Lieutenant Si'Lar Trellis & Commander Caleb Ryan & Lieutenant JG Jason Fisher

1,483 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Eye of the Beholder
Location: Security Offices
Timeline: MD 1/0900

[ON]

[Station Security Department]

Having checked in with his commanding officer, Caleb hit the turbolift again. “Deck 576,” he told the computer. He realized then just how big this place was and the distance between his quarters and his office.

“This is going to be quite the commute,” Caleb mused, leaning back against the wall of the lift for the long ride. His stomach rumbled a little and he realized he hadn’t had anything for breakfast other than a cup of coffee. He would have to grab something from the replicator. “Need to set up the cooking units and coffee pot,” he mused.

Caleb yawned as the dull hum of the lift pulled at his space lagged body and he let his dark eyes fall closed a moment.

“Deck 576. Security,” the computer chimed.

Caleb jerked awake. “Damn,” he muttered, straightening and tugging at his tunic as he stepped out into the corridor. He saw the glass-walled front office of station security and headed toward it. He pushed his way into the busy office and looked to the ensign on desk duty.

“Mornin’,” Caleb drawled, flashing the pretty young woman a smile.

The blonde looked up and blinked large blue eyes, flustered a moment at the handsome older officer. “Ummm…good morning, sir,” she said.

“Think ya could direct me ta the Chief’s office?” he asked.

“We, uh, don’t have a chief at the moment, sir, but Lieutenant Fisher is in charge,” she said, indicating an office.

Caleb nodded. “Very good,” he said. “Ah’m Caleb Ryan,” he introduced himself, offering his hand, “the new Chief of Security.”

“Oh…OH!” The ensign quickly sprang up, saluted, knocking over her coffee, swearing, apologizing, trying to clean it up with one hand.

Caleb chuckled. “Now none of that,” he said, pulling her hand away from the salute. “Let me help.”

Once the mess was cleaned up, Caleb said, “Thank ya for your help, Ensign,” and headed for his back office.

A few moments later Steiner came into the Security Department. "Morning." He nodded to the ensign on desk duty. "Got an appointment with a Lieutenant Trellis. She this week's acting Chief?" he asked.

"No, we got a new one!" the ensign replied. "He just arrived today, Commander Caleb Ryan."

"Huh, wonder how long this one will last," Steiner said wryly.

"Shhhhhh, don't jinx it!" The ensign laughed.

"Not my fault they drop like flies," Steiner replied. "He in his office? I'll go say hello."

"Sure is, you know the way, Chief."

Steiner wandered down the corridor and stuck his head around the doorway. "Morning, you Ryan? I'm Steiner, Chief Deputy Marshal."

Caleb looked up from where he had just placed his black Stetson on the corner of a chair with a small crate of personal things he liked to keep in his office. The current occupant of the office had apparently not moved out yet, so Caleb was unsure where to put his things.

“Marshall,” Caleb nodded in greeting. He was a very tall man, with long, lanky limbs and handsome, dark-hair and eyes. “It’s good ta meet ya. Ah’m sure we’ll be workin’ closely together.”

"Welcome to DS5, Caleb," Steiner said, offering his hand. "I'm Wolfgang. Not been here long myself."

“Well, longer than me. Ah still need to find my way around here.” Caleb smiled. “Coffee?” he offered. “It’ll have ta be replicated. Ain’t had time ta get the real thing set up yet.” He nodded to the crate where a real, old fashioned coffee maker could be seen sticking out.

"Thanks. I'll pass for now," Steiner said politely. "Got a meeting with one of your staff, which I guess you're probably attending too, come to think of it."

Jason Fisher sat with his head in his hands. Although he had been assigned as acting assistant chief, until Trellis’ appointment was confirmed, he hadn't expected him to be seconded off to another assignment so shortly afterwards. Truth be told he felt totally inadequate to serve as a security chief, even as an interim one.

"Get a grip," he chastised himself out loud. Perhaps he didn't feel ready, but he had a job to do and he needed to do it to the best of his ability.

The front desk ensign knocked on Jason’s door and stuck her cute head in. “Lieutenant?” she asked, batting her blue eyes at him and flashing him a smile framed by golden curls. “Um…apparently some paperwork got lost, but we have a new Chief. He’s next door with Steiner,” Ensign Jessica Mayhew told the assistant chief.

"Okay..." Fisher looked up, a combination of surprise, relief and curiosity. His reign as security chief was, it seems, to be a completely fleeting one and, as is often the case with these things, now that the role was no longer his, he felt a tinge of disappointment that he would not be given the opportunity to rise to the challenge. Even if he wasn't sure he wanted the challenge in the first place.

"Umm... thank you, Mayhew," he replied, getting up and rounding his desk. "I suppose I'd better go and say 'hi'!"

A moment later, he was next door, making polite conversation with Commander Ryan and Marshall Steiner.

Lieutenant Si'Lar Trellis walked down the corridor of Security while reading a PADD with the overnight security reports on it. Nothing significant had happened, thankfully. It appeared that the station was staying with a relative calm period, no terrorist explosions or deadly viruses sweeping through the lower decks.

Regardless of how well things were, the captain still did not have faith in his abilities to lead the department. She had made it painfully obvious by requesting a replacement officer to be the new Chief of Security. How many times had he sacrificed his safety and, at times, his dignity to protect this station and its inhabitants. Such a question was rhetorical. She was the captain and he was merely a lieutenant; his job was simply to follow orders.

However, he knew that things were going to change. Once former Starfleet Captain Anaia Rex was captured and brought to justice, the brass would have no choice but to recognize his leadership abilities. For the time being he'd have to deal with training the current Chief of Security while he was still here.

"Good morning, Ensign," Trellis said to the blonde ensign sitting at the front desk as he continued to walk by, completely oblivious to her attempts to flag him down. He walked through the second set of doors and came to a stop as he saw the gathering of officers within his office.

"Good morning, gentlemen." Trellis said, masking his surprise and slight irritation.

Caleb looked up at the new arrival, a dark-skinned Trill, and smiled. “Lieutenant Trellis?” he asked. “Sorry. Didn't mean ta barge into your office. Ah assumed ya’ll had been notified Ah was comin’ and it wasn’t occupied. Apparently Ah was mistaken. Lieutenant Commander Caleb Ryan,” he introduced himself, offering his hand to the Trill. “Ah don’t stand much on ceremony in the day to day, so Ryan is just fine, if that’s what ya’ll prefer.”

Lieutenant Trellis accepted the superior officer's hand and shook it. "Yes, Commander. Welcome aboard," he replied formally. He had to respect the rank, but nowhere in the regulations did he say he had to like being usurped.

"I take it that we are set to have a meeting right now?" Trellis asked.

Steiner picked up on the slight tension in the air and beat a retreat. "Okay, I'll let you two get acquainted and see you in the meeting. Conference room three, right? See you both there."

“Ah haven’t picked up my schedule yet,” Caleb admitted. “Ya’ll would no better if Ah have a meeting,” he admitted.

“Here, sir!” Ensign Mayhew said, chipper, as she handed him a PADD.

“Thank ya, Ensign,” he said, his eyes flicking over the schedule on the screen. “So Ah do,” he told Trellis. “Ah think I saw Conference Room 3 on the way in. Ah’ll join ya. Let me just put this stuff down.” He indicated his box of personal items. “Ah think Ah saw an open desk out in the bullpen.”

Caleb picked up the box and headed out to where the security officers had their desks. He found the least desirable desk in the room, cramped back in a corner, despite there being better desks open. He put down his box and returned to follow Trellis to the meeting.


[OFF]


Chief Deputy Wolfgang Steiner
FMS

Lieutenant Commander Caleb Ryan
Chief of Security

Ensign Jessica Mayhew
Security Front Desk

Lieutenant Si'Lar Trellis
No Longer Chief of Security

Lieutenant Jason Fisher
Asst. Chief of Security

 

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