Getting to the Executive Officer

Posted on Thu Mar 22, 2018 @ 2:58pm by Commander Caleb Ryan & First Lieutenant Gordon Blue

989 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Victory Conditions
Location: XO Office.
Timeline: MD 5 1000

ON

Blue was heading topside, that is, to the Command and Control Center of the station. He would come up here periodically, but not really stationed here. He had a few loose ends, and meeting with the station's XO was high on his to do list. The advent of the war game had delayed the meeting, so Blue made it a point to come by at first chance after the debriefings.

"First Lieutenant Blue, sir," he said when near the commander. "I thought I should introduce myself, sir."

Caleb straightened up from leaning over the young officer as he updated himself on the status and position of the Cardassians following the war game.

“Lieutenant,” Caleb returned the greeting. “Pleasure to meet ya.” He had a strong Texas drawl. “Why don’t we go inta mah office?” he suggested, gesturing and leading the way.

The office looked fairly typical for a Starfleet commander. There were personal touches, though, of course. A hook on the wall near the door held a black Stetson. There were a few holopics of a black stallion and a paint on the walls, as well as a ranch home. On the desk was a picture of a beautiful middle aged blonde Trill woman, and another of a rainbow-haired teenage girl with lighter, more irregular Trill spotting down her neck. There was also a glass display case holding a pair of pearl handled silver ancient Colt Peacemakers that looked to be well kept.

“Make yourself comfortable. Can Ah get ya anythin’, Lieutenant?” Caleb offered, going over to the replicator and getting strong black coffee.

"What you are having, please. It smells to be a robust blend." Blue eyed the painting and the guns. "I believe it was called the gun that won the West, according to Buffalo Bill and his accounts of the ‘divine' properties of the weapon?" Blue commented. "A fine example of the era's firearms." Blue looked away from the weapons. "You have a fine looking family, sir. So they share in your affection for the Old West?" Blue smiled. "An interesting time of Earth history."

Caleb got up and went to a side table where he had an actual coffee maker, not to the replicator. He poured Blue a mug and walked it over to the Marine. “Actually, it was the Winchester rifle that won the west,” Caleb said with amusement. “Ah got one a those hangin’ in mah quarters. But the Peacemaker wasn’t far behind,” he acknowledged.

Caleb returned to his seat as Blue commented on his family. “Mah wife was Trill,” Caleb said. “Afraid she didn’t much understand Earth history. Been workin’ on mah daughter,” he said with amusement. “She loves her horse almost more’n me, so hopefully she’ll come ‘round,” he said with an amused chuckle. “What about you?” he asked Blue. “Where do ya’ll hail from?”

"I was born on the North American continent, South Carolina," Blue said with a slight smirk. "If I remain here long, I could fade into the Southern drawl. My father was a Marinem He made his way to base commander of that base." Blue surged. "I am technically a Terran, you might say, as it is where my parents were prior to my birth and for much of my upbringing. Took me five years to lose the accent."

Caleb chuckled. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with the accent,” he said. “Though mah daughter ain’t picked it up,” he admitted. “There’s a lot of her mother in her…” Caleb trailed off and looked wistfully at the family picture on his desk again. “Family still alive?” Caleb asked.

"Quite alive, sir." Blue chuckled. "There is no denying who really is the general and who is the boss of the base he commands," Blue explained. "My mother is quite spunky about her caring for my father, and he dotes over her as much as a Marine general can, of course. He is not against walking about with a large disruptor on his hip to remind the Marines about respecting 'his Gentle Flower' when she is about the base." Blue nodded. "Thank you for asking. I have a very proper colonel as an uncle of sorts, and his wife does tend to be protective of my dietary needs. Seems to think I am too much muscle for my own good," he joked.

Caleb chuckled. “Well, never turn down a good home-cooked meal, Lieutenant,” he advised. “Ya never know when the next one will be when yer in Starfleet. Ah like ta cook, too, when Ah can get mah teenage daughter ta stay in at night. Got her on at least one mandatory meal with her father a week so Ah can at least catch up a bit. If Ah had mah druthers, Ah’d just lock her in her room, keep the boys out.” He grinned and sipped his coffee.

"I could assign a Marine guard if you need?" Blue interjected with a grin.

Caleb laughed. “Ah’m afraid they might have ta protect me from her if Ah did that!”

Caleb sipped his coffee. “Well, Ah s’pose Ah’ve kept ya long enough from yer duties, Lieutenant. Thank ya for stoppin’ by. Feel free any time ya need. The door’s always open.” He stood up to offer the Marine his hand again.

"It was a pleasure." Blue accepted the handshake and then turned to leave, hesitating by the door. "A Sergeant Major I once served with tried a daughter date night where they shared something she liked to do and he could be a part of. It assured him another day with her. Just an idea to ponder, sir."

“Thanks, Lieutenant, that sounds like a great idea. We ain’t been out ridin’ together for a while. Ah might just do that.”

FIN

Cdr. Caleb Ryan
Executive Officer

1st Lt. Gordon Blue
Marine Commanding Officer

 

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