New Start
Posted on Mon Jan 20th, 2020 @ 8:12am by Senior Chief Petty Officer Mason Malone & Lieutenant Dessame Sar
Mission:
Character Development
Location: USS Athena
1628 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure
Mason had taken a sprint to get to the ship. His belongings would be transferred, or might've been already but he himself had to get there on his own. He hated leaving the ship he had served on for so long, but he knew that staying would only be very painful. He felt he was still young enough to make new friends, and a new career for himself, even if he would miss his old friends.
Panting for breath, despite being in quite good shape, he made it to the ship, announced himself and handed over his transfer orders at the dock. He tugged down the hem of his tunic, having opted to wear his greens rather than his prospect new uniform. Until formalized, and until told otherwise, he was still a marine. Even so... one could take the marine out of the uniform, but one couldn't take the uniform out of the marine. Right? Once a marine, always a marine, wasn't that the case?
He hesitated as he approached his new boss's office, not quite sure what to expect. Then he pressed his hand to the chime, and took a step back.
Dessame was getting sick of sitting in this office, it seemed that is where she had been for days. Truth be told at the start of an assignment one always found themselves sifting through data, files and whatnot to organise what you needed to know for yourself. For one thing she had a recent transfer from a marine company from the USS Sarek. Dessame had thought this odd but the doorbell woke her from her thoughts.
"Enter." she called and in walked the marine that had just been on the forefront of her mind. Still in his greens and she could feel the hesitation in him as he walked through. "Sergeant Malone, welcome."
Giving the room a habitual sweep with his eyes, the young man snapped to attention. "Sergeant Mason Malone, reporting for duty sir!" He announced then frowned briefly. Did she even want to be called sir? That wasn't his experience with female officers. All the women he had served with preferred ma'am. Even his sisters had that drilled into him, women were not men to address as sir. And he didn't really have any male role models growing up either.
Dessame let out a little smile, "Ma'am or Lieutenant is fine Sergeant, and please be at ease." Pointing in front of her she hoped he would sit. "I hope your transfer was relatively painless?"
"As painless as is possible ma'am," Mason answered politely, stepping out to 'at ease'. Then he saw her point and sheepishly moved to sit. "My ex husband moved back to Mars though I doubt he'll stay there. We're still in touch, but staying on that ship was just too painful. I needed a new challenge ma'am, and I really want to give this a shot. I understand I'll be expected to change my ways but I can't promise a full change. Once a marine..." He paused realizing he was babbling.
"I am sorry to hear about your discomfort. I can only imagine what that feels like." She said in reference to his marital problems and the bad memories of where he used to call home. In truth she could feel the emotions from him and they were hard to miss. She too understood the painful memories part, she never could look at her colony world the same after what happened.
"In regards to your change of role I understand the training you've had will be embedded within you and that is fine. I am not looking for a total transformation and I hope that if you have suggestions on how to improve security you will let me know. Sometimes marines have better methods than we do." Dessame continued. "As for rank, obviously we will need to change you over to a naval one. After looking at your file, the experience you hold I believe that a rank of Warrant Officer is suitable for you? Once I clear it with Commander Kane of course."
"Yes ma'am." He was no counselor, but years being married to one did rub off a little. "I'll do my best ma'am. I do believe my training as recon officer will help with investigations, and away missions. What are your expectations of me?"
"I expect that when we have no active investigations that you act as a general security officer on board and as such you will have stations to report to and duties to perform when those suit. I have also thought that given your background in recon you could act as a training officer if you like? I think your skills would benefit the security department as a whole and I include myself in that." Dessame replied. "When we have open investigations then you are to pursue them with the vigour and determination of a Targ fighting over the last piece of meat."
Mason wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Targs are horrible creatures. I rather see the ferocity of a cat ma'am. I've encountered a few angry one of those...we had a few at home....I'm sure I still have scars."
Dessame smiled, she too didn't like Targs much. "I prefer cats also. They have finesse in their attacks, almost calculated and well thought out. Targs head in all full of steam and hope for the best, often end up dead." Dessame didn't trust cats as she believed behind a cat's eyes laid the destruction of the universe. They always looked to be thinking, sitting judging those that passed by and silently plotting the takeover of the quadrant. Where as there was no trust she did respect them for the same reasons.
Mason bared his teeth in a grin. "You should see my Merlin. Always thinking, always scheming. But in the end it was Ubasti who was the nasty one. He always clawed me. I only took Merlin though, leaving the others with Alex and Angelique. I don't need to check in my cat do I? As for weapons I only have my marine issue dagger and phaser...."
"I think you'd need to register the cat as being on board in case of emergency." Dessame answered. "As for your marine dagger I would need to register you as having one on board, tag it etc. Is the phaser your own personal one? If so then same rule apply. Just earlier today I registered a beautiful bat'leth and kaleh owned by our new Chief of Strategic Operations."
"Oooh," Mason marvelled as he produced both weapons and laid them on the desk. "A kaleh and a bat'leth? Then he must be a mix of both worlds if he had both... I've never seen either to be honest...not up close anyway. I've had personal encounters with Gorn weapons though. Sarek's former security chief taught me how to use one....and well it kinda went wrong." He bit his lip, cheeks burning in shame at the memory. "Long story ma'am, perhaps told at some other time."
"Off duty, sure." Dessame replied smiling and taking the weapons to tag them and then enter their number into the system. "I've not had many encounters with the Gorn myself, even with the translator I still struggle to understand them. Not to mention the primal force I have felt that drives them... but again a story for another time." She'd met a Gorn at a station whilst on route back to Betazed for leave. She won't forget him fast as their chat at the bar resulted in him being ejected.
Another toothy grin. "I'm almost fluent in Gorn," he said as the UT rendered his hisses into Standard. "Made a pass at one when I was a teenager... Stupidest mistake to ever make...learned a lot about then since then though. I do love language though, but I'm also liking to snoop around. I do think my recon training will be an asset. But if there's additional stuff you need me to learn, let me know."
"Made a pass?" Dessame asked surprised as she rubbed her hand on the back of her neck. She was almost picturing how that would look before snapping back. "For now familiarising yourself with security procedures, standard training protocols and meeting your fellow crewmates is my advice. Security is similar to the marines but different in so many ways."
"Yes ma'am...Romance like..." His cheeks turned even redder at the admission. "Yes ma'am," he added. "And find myself a correct uniform?"
No... I got the reference." Dessame laughed a little. "Oh definitely, find yourself some yellow Warrant Officer. I'm sure the computer will be happy to provide."
"I'm sure,* the young man murmured, seeming a little sad at having to give up his beloved greens.
She could feel his dip in mood, she didn't have to be an empath to see the expression change on his face. "I'd keep your greens though. Maybe you could start up a marine styled boot camp for us? I know we would benefit from that." She asked trying to lift him, there was also a part of her that didn't want him to feel he was losing his marine identity.
He perked up a little. "That sounds like fun," he admitted. "I'll do my best."
"I know you will Malone. I can feel from you that all you ever give is your best." She said rising to her feet.
Mason's gaze snapped up, a frown crossing his features. Betazoid.. how could he have missed that. He rose too. "Permission to get settled?"
"You are dismissed, Malone. Go find your feet." Dessame replied.
Lieutenant Dessame Sar
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Athena
WO Mason Malone
Investigations Officer
pnpc Lhaes
