Some Uncomfortable Conversations

Posted on Sun May 29th, 2022 @ 7:17pm by Lieutenant Didrea Zade & Senior Chief Petty Officer Mason Malone

Mission: Character Development
Location: USS Athena, Security offices
Timeline: Between missions, after "Unjoined Thinking"
1876 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Once Zade was finished talking to Kevan and he left, she took a moment to calm her nerves. These conversations were never great, but they needed to be had. If security officers were causing issues, ultimately it would reflect back onto her, regardless of whether she inherited the state of things or not. It not only made her look bad, but the department as well. One down... she thought, temporarily rising from her lean against the desk to get herself a cup of herbal tea from the replicator. Leaning against the desk again with the hot beverage in hand, she gently blew away some steam before tapping her comm badge. "Zade to Malone, when you have a minute, can you please come to my office?"

"Yes ma'am, I'll be there in a second." Mason frowned as he shut down his terminal and headed over to the chief's office. "Chief Malone reporting as ordered ma'am," he announced as he stepped inside.

The Trill gestured to the chair between them, silently offering him a seat. "I've been informed of a recent incident involving the Engineering Chief, Ensign Fenn, Lieutenant Dash, and yourself. I'll point out that you're not in trouble, I just want to understand what happened." Zade was attempting a gentler approach this time around, because frankly the atmosphere left behind following the conversation with Kevan was tense. "I'm hoping to get a perspective with less... name-calling," she added, with a gentle smile.

"I see..." The Human's expression darkened a little, despite the reassurance he wasn't in trouble. "I want you to know that I'm a professional ma'am... I've never let my private affairs interfere with my duties, and I won't let that happen now. And to be honest, I'm not entirely sure why you need to understand a private matter."

"I believe that you will handle it professionally. To be honest, I don't care all that much about what the private matter was. What you do off-duty is not my business." Zade sighed as she mentally sifted through what she had gathered so far. The defensiveness in Mason's voice was a lot more subtle than Kevan's, but it was still evident, so she tried to make her approach more gentle this time around. Mason didn't need the same lecture Kevan got. "I care about the impression people have of the department as a result of what happens privately, because that affects our ability to do our job. I don't know who started it..." I can surely guess, Zade thought, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Despite her efforts to remain neutral, she suspected it was Fenn's fault the moment she heard that he was involved. Personal grudges had no place in this conversation, however.

Setting the still hot tea on the desk, Zade leaned forward slightly. "... but the Captain and a few others I've spoken to gained the impression that security was at fault here." Her tone suggested that she didn't believe those rumors. "All I'm asking from my people is to be a little more mindful of how others may perceive things next time. Obviously, we can't control what rumors spread and how people see things, but we can reduce its impact. Does that make sense?"

"Yes ma'am." Mason nodded slowly, still not sure what was going on. "It depends on what you consider fault, ma'am. If having feelings for a fellow officer is considered such, then the fault is mine. I had feelings for lieutenant Dash, and he knew that. Then something very unplanned happened, and he found out, and suddenly he acts all.. jealous? When he expressed several times that his feelings weren't the same. Being put so publicly on the spot really hurt, but I'd never let that affect my working relationship with the lieutenant."

Zade sat quietly for a moment. "You're not at fault here," she eventually said, gently shaking her head. "It's fine to have feelings for another officer. The impression I got from the Captain and others is that security caused the disturbance, but I'd like to hope my people wouldn't cause a scene just for the hell of it. Knowing Fenn was involved..." Silence fell again as she forced her own impressions of the ensign out of her mind. Now she was starting to feel guilty for making Mason feel these emotions again. "I'm sorry for bringing this back up and making you feel that hurt again. I won't press it, it's not my place and to be honest, I feel I've pried too much. I do want you to know that, if there's anything I can do to help ease tensions, please let me know. I have the power to assign tasks that help give you and the Lieutenant space, if that is what either of you need."

"It's my problem, I'll deal with it," Mason said, "I don't think anyone getting the impression I need the chief to help me out will help matters any. It's out in the open now...gossip will fly. It is as it is. I won't let it affect my working relationship with Lieutenant Dash. I'd like to think we're professionals and above petty behaviour on duty ma'am. If issues do arise, I'll settle them in my own time. Not while on duty."

Zade nodded, feeling like she was just digging herself a bigger hole. "Understood," she said. There was only so much she could do, it was out of her hands. Not that it ever was or should have been. "So," she began in an attempt to change the subject. The atmosphere was tense to her, and she hoped a change in subject would help alleviate the tension. "... I'm trying to familiarize myself with the department. Is there a particular system this team adheres to that I should be aware of?"

"System?" Relief washed over the security officer at the change of subject. "How do you mean?*

"I'm thinking along the lines of: how does the department operate." Zade picked up her tea and took a tentative sip, deeming it cooled enough to drink. "For example, on the Colossal, we usually only gave reports directly to the department head if it were a pressing matter, otherwise we'd just send it to the chief's computer for him to look at at his convenience. A lot of us were also on a first name basis with each other, unless it was something serious. Stuff like that."

"Hadn't we talked about this when we first met?" the young man asked quietly, a confused look crossing his handsome features. "As far as I know we have meetings every few days, and we start with the plans for today and any issues that might arise. I've reported to Dash, prior to your arrival. I mean, after Sar left the ship in a bit of a hurry." He gritted his teeth for a moment, the action quite visible on his face. "First name basis while on duty, is apparently considered inappropriate," he related flatly, "my preference would be a use of rank and last name as a result. Off duty, I'm happy for first name basis. My friends tend to call me Mase, rather than Mason."

Zade frowned as she thought back. "I recall asking about who was in charge since security was lacking a department head, but not really about the workings of the department." She caught his facial expression, then nodded once he explained. Perhaps it was the influence of working on a small ship like a Nova class, but in Zade's experience, as long as the Captain wasn't around, the people she worked with didn't really care if rank was used. If the task got done, did formalities really matter? The Trill took a pensive sip of her tea. "I ask because, well, how the department is run varies a little between ships. At least, in my experience." She gave a little shrug, "obviously the usual required tasks are done to the letter, it's how tasks outside of the required stuff are handled."

"Isn't that up to you now though? How things are run, that is. If you have different views then as department head it's your call to run it as you see fit. If you feel first name is acceptable, then I think as your subordinates, we have to accept that. You're the chief, you run it as you please. I don't recall Dar being super strict and hell bent on rank. Dash feels it's inappropriate to use first name...at least that's the impression I got with the way I got berated."

"I'll be honest, Chief Malone," Zade said, looking him in the eyes. "I'm barely a week into a position I've never held before. Aside from what our jobs require us to do... I'm not really sure how I want to run the department yet." She leaned back and turned her gaze to the cup in her hands, "I guess until I figure it out, I want to stick with how the department currently does things and go from there." Hearing that Kevan berated Mason for something as minor as how to address someone gave her an urge to go have some choice words with Kevan, but she wasn't a junior officer anymore. This was another thing that she probably didn't need to get involved in, not unless it caused issues.

"In that event, I'd recommend keeping the rosters as they are, and do a daily briefing on the first shift? Or something like that? As far as formality goes that is up to you. If you prefer being called by your name, I'll respect that but please don't hold it against me if I prefer to call my boss by rank while on duty. I do hope you aren't opposed to be addressed as ma'am? It's what I was taught since I was a wee lad, that it's respectful to call a lady ma'am. My sisters would have words if I didn't."

"Agreed," she said with a nod. Zade then smiled, "for formalities, I think what I've usually stuck with is, as long as the Captain or XO aren't around, using rank is left to individual preference. That being said, since I'm still relatively new here, I'll stick with rank or ma'am for now, no preference over which. When off duty, I tend to go by Zade. Just don't call me Didrea, it's a given name with personal significance." It wasn't the entire truth, but it was all he needed to know and honestly, all she cared to explain. "Well, I shouldn't keep you anymore than I already have. I appreciated your input."

"Personal preference should be respected ma'am, and your name is your own. Some things need to be earned. As I said, you can call me Mason or Mase when I'm off duty. On, I prefer chief... Though I get that might get confusing with you being the department chief." He smiled. "You're the boss ma'am, if keeping me is work related then so be it. But I'll go do my rounds now.... with your permission..." He did need a formal dismissal before he could actually leave.

Zade nodded again. "If it gets confusing, I'll let you know. Dismissed."