Opening of the Eyes

Posted on Saturday, 31 July 2021 - 2:26pm by Captain Barret Stillwater & Commander Soral

Mission: Operation: Lazarus
Location: Captain's Ready Room | USS Standing Bear
Timeline: 2394 MD 06

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Soral headed back from lunch. He returned to the bridge took his seat and lost himself in reports. After a few hours he looked up downloaded a few things and just as the Captain entered the bridge he stood. "Sir may I request an audience with you?"

Stillwater was caught off guard momentarily by the First Officer's sudden request. He looked to Soral, dazed a bit before his thoughts returned to the here and now. "Caught me daydreaming, Number One," Stillwater explained. "An audience? Sure," Captain Stillwater stood from his seat and gestured towards his Ready Room.

Soral followed silently. Once they were inside he didn't hold back. "We may loose another Engineer and before that happens I wish to find out if we can prevent it."

"Why? How?" asked Stillwater with concern. "I've spoken with her not too long ago. What has changed since then?" he inquired. It would soon not be his problem, but the last thing he wanted to do was leave the starship without a Chief Engineer.

"Hamura thinks that you...have no faith in them."

Stillwater was surprised and caught off guard by this news. "Why do they think that? What has gotten into them?" he said shaking his head at the ridiculousness of such a thought. He had confidence in each and every one of the crew aboard. If he did not, they would not have lasted very long. Stillwater was very thorough about the individuals serving aboard the Standing Bear.

"They feel that … Vali is a babysitter that your trying to save face by having a higher rank then and Ensign oversee them." Soral scrubbed his hand over his face.

The Captain grumbled in agitation. "Lieutenant Vali a command division officer in training to eventually become Second Officer of a starship or station," quipped Barret. "She's broadening her career scope and has a decade on our young Ensign. Lieutenant Vali is not babysitting, she's doing her damn job as the ensign should be doing as well. Having Lieutenant Vali involved in this is not to spite the ensign, if I had my choice in the matter, I would not have any engineers with a rank lower than Lieutenant Commander handling Trellium-D. That's how much confidence I have in this crew."

"Ensign Hamura is just as qualified as a Lieutenant Commander. In fact perhaps more so with Trellium-D. But by your response there is a rank prejudice there where your faith is tied to rank." Soral made a note to keep his mouth from running. When it came to Hamura he had more confidence in that engineer then half the fleet.

Stillwater glared at his First Officer. "Commander Soral," the Captain said sternly. "I would not use the word prejudice to describe my reasoning and foresight on command matters less you want me to call your views illogical and emotional."

The Captain was not thrilled with Soral's assertion, though he still respected the man. "I cannot fathom an officer with less than 12 months of service after warning their commission being as qualified as an officer with a decade or more service to Starfleet. If you disagree with that, then so be it, but my response is not one of prejudice."

Soral looked up. "Ensign Hamura's record speaks for itself. They've been offered a promotion twice refusing it. Rank is just that, a key to a higher level. If Hamura was a Lieutenant Commander would you have set Vali to oversee them?"

"I don't believe in promotion for promotion's sake," Stillwater replied. "I have a hard enough time with Lieutenant Kingsley, the thought of putting Lieutenant Commander pips on a freshly minted Ensign? No, I'm sorry, but no. If she were a Lieutenant Commander it would mean a decade's worth of more service aboard starships or stations."

Soral held back a sigh, "I understand sir, I do not agree but you are the Captain and it is within your choice to feel this way." He didn't like it, he really didn't but he had to respect it. "Every CO has their own opinion and is entitled to it. I will try to ensure Ensign Hamura stays,"

"Pull the wool up over their eyes, Commander, personnel matters are yours to handle," Stillwater said with a bit of amusement. Vulcan First Officers he thought to himself. "The ensign needs to begin opening those eyes and start seeing things for what they are. I trust their ability, and I have made a note on their record for the next Captain to consider them for promotion down the road."

"Wonderful," he said somewhat sarcastically, "Now I have to put that fire out too."

"They are a way's off from getting it," he said. "I doubt my successor will be handing out promotions like candy."

"It is not that Hamura...is complex. They are fascinating and I believe that their personal traits added to the ones that they got from their Katra merge with me make for an interesting mix."

"You've taken to them," Stillwater replied. "That is fine. Just make sure that your pupil understands that they are valued here whether they interpret my commands that way or not."

"Indeed but I think that Hamura could use a visit from...what is the crew calling you Pappa Smurf?" He shrugged. "Personally I do not see the resemblance...perhaps it's the beard."

"I'll consider it," he replied. "Smurftastic" he muttered.

"I believe the appropriate response is, that is the spirit...the next part involves a back thump but I shall refrain as you are my commanding officer."

"Ageed," Stillwater said with a nod. He hated the nickname, but it was sticking.

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