Cadet Struggles

Posted on 23 Oct 2014 @ 7:24pm by Lieutenant Commander Dea Mialin

1,345 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 4, Flight Control Office
Timeline: MD -15, 1130 hours

[ON]

It was a big relief to have the Tribbles off the ship. Yet there were still matters that needed her attention. Tapping her comm badge, "Lieutenant Commander Mialin to Cadet Paragon, please report to my office." Dea knew this conversation is one that should have taken place a lot sooner but the mission didn't allow it. So she would do her best to sort things out now.

Startled by her voice, Wintrow let the PADD he'd been reading from his hands and just grabbed the gerbil that had been perched on his shoulder. "O-on my way ma'am," he managed, just barely keeping a stammer out of his voice. He quickly put his pets back in their cage, shot into his uniform and ran up to the office. He stood to attention when the door opened and he stepped into the office. "Cadet Paragon reporting as ordered," he stated nervously.

Dea gestured to one of the empty chairs, "Have a seat Cadet before you sprain something. Listen I know the last mission was rough on all of us and you came aboard at a bad time. But we need to talk, and no you're not in trouble let me make that clear."

The boy sighed in visible relief as he found himself a seat. "Are you feeling better ma'am?" he asked carefully.

"Yes its a slow process but I'm getting there. Thank you for your concern," Dea paused for a moment then continued. "Thats one of the things you need to understand. Even as a fellow Betazoid there is proper protocol on a starship. I am your superior officer and concerned or not what you did in our last staff meeting crosses lines. Respecting others boundaries especially a superior officer's is important. We'll leave it at that." Addressing Wintrow once again, "As I said this conversation is not about what you did wrong. We all make mistakes. What this is about is learning to not be afraid to speak up at the right times in a respectful manner."

Dea looked at him, "My guess is you're here to get exposure to a different operational environment and way of doing things. However I don't know what things you have a desire to learn from me and this department. That is one time its perfectly acceptable to request a meeting with me over. I get the feeling your afraid to speak up even when it comes to matters of that nature."

Slowly, Wintrow nodded. "I want to learn how to fly a starship," he offered, "and I want to see if there's a difference on how shuttles are operated here, compared to the Sarek. I mean.." He hesitated. "Surely, one develops one's own special techniques to do something, once one gains experience? On Sarek, I only have Lieutenant Ezlam to learn from, there are no other pilots apart from the fighter wing. And there hasn't been a wing commander in a very long time."

Nodding as she listened to Cadet Paragon. "So tell me how do you expect people to know that? There is absolutely nothing wrong with speaking your mind when it comes to that kind of stuff. Its how all of us learned stuff when we were less experienced." For a moment Dea paused, "Officers are trained to lead, yet listen and take the advice of the senior enlisted they serve with. That dynamic has existed for generations and it works."

"I didn't know that," Wintrow whispered, "I don't know how they are supposed to know. I thought it was in my transfer orders..." He looked down at his hands, feeling uncomfortable. "I'm not a very good leader, I think," he added softly, even though he knew his records spoke of the opposite. His superiors had left notes in his official flight records, speaking highly of his abilities once he was up out there in space. The one place, he was truly in his element.

"Yeah thats why you have to speak up. That kind of thing is not contained in transfer orders. Sometimes they are more detailed but most times they are pretty short and to the point with just ship name, position, and who to report to. There maybe some basic details about the assignment. From there its up to the individual transferring to speak with their superior officers. Just part of the overall process."

Dea continued, "Learning how to fly a starship is a bit more complicated because you can only do it on the holodeck. But we can easily arrange for you to work with one of qualified members of the flight control staff to achieve that. The rest just comes with time and not being afraid to speak up when you have a valid question."

"I'm working on that," the boy replied, "but it's hard when people don't take you seriously. I feel I'm not being taken seriously since I got here. I'm being called derogatory names, and it really makes me feel unhappy. People don't seem to get that it hurts, being called a kid, it really hurts."

Listening to Paragon, "You can't take things that personally. They don't mean it in a derogatory manner. As everyone has said its a rite of passage. I went through it when I was a young inexperienced officer myself. No you may not be a kid by true definition anymore but you still have a lot to learn. Part of earning the respect you want is proving you want to learn, and questions in a appropriate manner. Aside from that learning to deal with not getting bent out of shape when more experienced personnel address you in that way. "

"But I've told them it hurts," Wintrow countered, still fidgeting nervously, "why do they persist. I want to learn but I don't want to be called that. Does someone have to go through a rite of passage on any new assignment? Because I really don't like to be picked on, it's happened all my life, and I've had enough of that. Why can't they just take me for who I am, why the bullying, I don't understand. How would they feel if someone picked on them, after having endured such treatment for as long as they can remember?

Dea shook her head, "Counseling is not my expertise. I can't answer that or give you any further advice on that than I already have. Starfleet has a whole department of people who's job it is to deal with those kinds of questions."

"Yea I know, I'm already seeing a counselor," the boy answered softly, "but that still means I want them to stop calling me that. There are other ways to show someone's not very experienced in certain matters, friendlier ways." He sighed. "And, on top of everything else, I just had news my boyfriend transferred off the Sarek with his father, and he decided that because we're unlikely to see eachother for a very long time, it's best we both move on..." He sighed. "Probably more for the counselor too huh?"

All Dea could do is nod, "Yes we're very much straying into Counselor territory here. I've said what I need to say concerning you duties as a member of my department. The rest needs someone more qualified in psychology to help you."

Wintrow nodded. "As I said I'm already doing that ma'am. So is there anything you expect from me? Are there on board courses you need me to follow?"

"I can send you a list of courses that apply to getting certified to fly a Nova class ship. You are also free to take a look at the available Flight Control courses and request any others you'd like to take," Dea replied.

"I'll do that, and I'd like to take that certification course."

Dea nodded, "Excellent. That's all I wanted to discuss with you at this time. You are free to return to your duties now."

[OFF]

LCDR Dea Mialin
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

CDT SO Wintrow Paragon
Support Craft Pilot
USS Galileo
[PNPC T'Vanna]

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