Reaching Out

Posted on 20 Nov 2014 @ 5:47pm by Commander Norvi Stace & Ensign Jaana Voutilainen

993 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Starbase 84 - Deck 22 - Meeting Room
Timeline: MD 5 - 11.00 hours

ON:

The temporary offices Stace was using on board Starbase 84 were plain and drab. Holding the majority of her meetings here before returning back to active duty was now getting a little tiresome and the bright yellow daffodils did nothing to lift her spirits. She gotten through most of her crew appraisals whilst stationed here, calling some of her officers out of shoreleave momentarily to cross the Ts and dot the Is before she herself could enjoy the much welcomed break. As she casually sat behind her desk, consoled power-up and reading over her next visitor's service record, an unwelcome and stifled yawn crept across her features. With a shake of her head, the door chime sounded about the grey room.

Jaana entered her Chiefs office. "Ensign Voutilainen, reporting as ordered" she said before proceeding. She had been working on compiling some new data when the call came in for her to report to Norvi's office.

Stace looked up and shone a toothy grin at the ensign. She stood and with an extended open hand, offered the spare chair opposite. "Apologies for the drab surroundings, Ensign Voutilainen. I didn't have much of a say in it."

Jaana chuckled at the comment as she approached the Chief. "No problem, is there anything I can do for you?"

"What I invited you here for was your end of mission performance review. How has your first mission with the Gally gone?"

"Special" Jaana replied. "Less than 24 hours after getting on board I got on my first away mission ever and broke my arm in the process. So a blast." she said sarcastic. "But the rest is awesome. I have so much more to study here then I ever had on earth, that I'm seriously wondering why I didn't serve on a Starship earlier."

"The Universe tends to hand us opportunities when we're ready for them," Stace replied almost motherly. "But it's good that you feel like you're on the right path now. And where better to start your space service than on a place like the Galileo. I know I for one am grateful that you are serving with us."

"Thank you Ma'am." Jaana replied politely. She didn't really knew anything to talk about. She hadn't been on board that long. Things might have gone bad with the mission, but not bad enough to give them hours of conversation. And she had barely begun her research. Just some stolen hours here and there.

Stace replied with a smile and softened her features a little. "This isn't an interrogation on your performance, Ensign. Just a chat to get to know those who serve in my department and how well they're getting on. Whether they feel they need anything to do their jobs, or to feel comfortable on board."

Jaana let the breath go she was holding apperently. "I'm not really good at the social thing." she said as she took the empty chair on the opposite site of the desk. "The only thing I need is more hours in the day. I'm learning to divide my time between my research and the responsibilities of the ship. When a mission or a tribble investation gets in the way, it gets a challenge because I want to complete the things in both subjects that I'm working on."

"But you're a science officer," Norvi replied flatly. "I know that it's great to be hands on all the time, but as an officer of the department you have resources and people you can delegate to. That's the bounty of you having come through your training. You can't be everywhere at once but the crewmen who work under you can."

"I know that, and I work together a lot with Trident, but some stuff I just really like to do myself."

"Then that's the trade-off, I'm afraid," Stace then replied, with a wincing smile. "You can't have all the responsibilities of rank and then not use its privileges."

Jaana laughed. "Oh, but I'm very much aware of that. Why do you think I'm still an ensign. The higher rank I get the more responsibilities I recieve and the less time I will have for the stuff I love to do. Research the stars and everything around them."

Stace almost admired the young woman. "Both Starfleet and Science is a calling. And we couldn't ask for anything better than to marry the two on a vessel like this. If you want more time for Research, I can be flexible. As can Lieutenant Commander Kohl, I'm sure. I'll have a word with him. See if I can reassign some of your Fleet duties. If you're willing to sacrifice your career progression for your passion, then that's something I can relate to. And Mr. Kohl. If on opposite ends of that spectrum."

Jaana thought about that for a minute. "I'm not saying that I will never move away from being an ensign. My love just lies at the research and teaching. Joining Starfleet as an officer gave me the most options to gain my ultimate goal. That's why I joined Starfleet. And by teaching and working with other people I can contribute to others also gaining their goal in life." She looked up, realising she was rambling again. "Sorry. I have a habbit of letting go when I talk about why I'm here. I spend all my adult life working towards one main goal." She smiled slightly. Thinking of all the effort and perseverance it had taken her to get here.

"But you're here now. You've made it," Stace replied returning her smile. "Now enjoy it."

"I'm working on that" she said with a smile.

"Good," Stace replied with a smile. "Just let me know if there's anything you need help with."

"I will" she said.


OFF:

Jaana Voutilainen
Stellar Cartographer
USS Galileo

AND

Lieutenant Commander Norvi Stace
Chief Science Officer & Second Officer
USS Galileo

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