Prior Tease

Posted on 03 Apr 2015 @ 10:27pm by Commander Andreus Kohl & Ensign Jaana Voutilainen

1,677 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 08 - NIMBUS
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 03, Science Lab / USS Nautilus - Deck 01, Bridge
Timeline: MD -01 - 0649 hours

Previously on "More Than Stars In Her Eyes":

"However, your very first assignment is to review this," Kohl said. He operated his PADD to bring up a document on Jaana's PADD. "It's a summary of all the resources being allocated to the research projects aboard Galileo. Personnel resources, energy resources, LCARS resources, hardware resources... I need you to prioritize the projects, and then work with 'Commander Allyndra to decide which projects will be put on hold to ensure the command staff have all the resources they need to operate the ship through the exercises."

She looked up. "You want me to determine what research should be stopped and which one should continue. But that's..." She didn't know how to continue. She took a deep breath. "Everyone worked hard to get the change to do their research here and you want me to choose what research subject isn't worth to continue."

And now, the continuation...


[ON]

The lights were dim for gamma shift on the Nautilus' Bridge, which made the starlight streaking across the viewscreen all the more dazzling. Although the Miranda-class starship continued its hustle towards the Chi'dan sector, the skeleton staff on the Bridge appeared relatively subdued at their stations. Although Kohl had initially taken a little time to sit in the big chair before Captain Blake arrived, Kohl had moved himself over to the Science console. He was facing the LCARS panels set into the aft bulkhead, which left the starscape on the viewscreen behind him.

To the image of the officer on the LCARS panel, Kohl said, "Are you feeling ready for your next duty shift?"

Ready she thought. Then just shook her head and said with a faint smile. "Offcourse I'm ready,"

Kohl smiled back at her with a broader smile; he was practically beaming at Jaana Voutilainen's response. "That's heartening to hear, Jaana," Kohl said. "How did your facilitation of the training go yesterday? Do you think the Astrometrics staff are capable of utilizing the AESA sensor unit to its fullest?"

"Yes, we are!" she replied. "We ran multiple simulations and the outcome of all of them were near perfect." She moved the her breakfast out of view. This guy really has an awful timing she thought. After having slept only a few hours and then quickly hurrying back to the lab to work on a report that she needed to finish she hadn't found time to actually eat her breakfast.

"That," Kohl said, "is most certainly an enviable result." He grinned again, showing teeth. "And how did you feel about leading the training? How would you assess yourself?"

"It felt good to teach again." she said. "Although I think you need to others in the team of my leadership qualities."

"Oh?" Kohl asked, with a nod towards the screen. He considered Jaana, and he said, "What makes you say that?"

"Well, wouldn't it be logic to ask them. What's the point in assesing yourself as a leader. You're not really a good leader until the people you lead thing you are." she explained.

Kohl had nodded at each of Jaana's assertions, and then his eyes looked down at something on his control panel. He frowned, as he considered his words, and then he raised his sapphire eyes to Jaana. "l wouldn't say I agree with that. Your self-assessment is a critical piece in your development as a leader, as you know your own development needs better than anyone else would do. Besides, only you can drive your own development to become a better leader," Kohl said. "In your career in Starfleet, you'll never be recognized for people thinking you're a good leader. It will make it easier to get through the day, if they do, but you'll be judged based on the results your team produces."

"Well, in that case I must say that I am a good leader. Given the result of the training" she said, unwillingly.

"That's excellent," Kohl said, offering a small smile. He looked down again, just long enough to type a note on a PADD. "How goes Allyndra's research project into that universal protocol for defeating any cloaking device?" Kohl asked, and he made a point of meeting Jaana's eyes again. "Have you taken the initiative to move this project forward? Chaired any meetings?"

Her face froze. Why was he asking question he onviously already knew the answer to. "No, I haven't. I've spend the last two days reviewing all the ongoing projects as well as preparing and doing that trainingsession with the astro staff. But I will go by her as soon as possible." She made a mental note not to forget this time.

"Don't panic," Kohl said, as soothingly as he could manage. He shook his head, and raised the palm of his hand, to make his point again. "The cloaking device project isn't your responsibility. I only mention it because it's a beautiful opportunity to show your competency to the command staff. If something is important to the command staff, it's important to you, yeah?"

Easy for him to say, his workperformance isn't being reviewed. "I guess it has too be now, hasn't it?"

Kohl stared back at her, and he started to wince in concern. "To be fair, Jaana, no, you don't have to," Kohl said, and he shook his head again. There was a stark honesty in his timbre, but no trace of accusation. He shifted his weight in his chair and he gripped the edge of his LCARS station. "When we're talking about your internal priorities, nothing is a given. You may perform brilliantly, and take on more responsibilities where needed, but that doesn't mean you actually believe the crew's mission is a higher priority than your own research."

She tough at that for a bit. What would she consider more important. The ship's mission or her own research. Her first answer would be the ship's, but would she then be completely honest? "How do you do that? Prioritise between your work as CRO and your own research, assuming you have a research project of your own." she asked, curious to the answer.

"I suppose... I prioritize my work for today," Kohl said, and he paused a couple of times to organize and clarify his thoughts. He narrowed his eyes, as he considered her question some more, and then he explained, "I don't worry about the long term, or tomorrow, I just get through today's responsibilities. Sometimes, that means neglecting my own research, or it means drafting a mediocre duty log. Only giving half an effort to some of my other responsibilities, because they all need to be achieved, but I can't achieve them all perfectly.

"I prioritize one of my responsibilities," Kohl went on, "and I neglect the rest. And when I can't neglect one of my other responsibilities anymore, I prioritize that responsibility, and I neglect the one I was prioritizing before." --He shrugged-- "It's a juggling act, I suppose. I don't know if it's a system that works, but it's what I've been using."

Hmm, prioritising. That made sense. "I'll try that, thank you." Why did she have a feeling I she would try that, she wouldn't spend much time on her own research. She looked sideways to the empty plate next to the console and knew she needed to end this conversation, or it would be to late.

"Is there anything you wanted to discuss?" she asked in a tone that was sweeter then normal.

"Oh," Kohl said, and he blinked a few times. "Is there nothing else you wanted to discuss?"

"I'm still working on accessing all the ongoing research projects, and am going to talk to Commander Allyndra about her idea, so I'm busy for the next few hours." she summed up.

Kohl softened his tone, trying to keep worlds away from harshness, without losing the firmness of his directly. "Jaana, you shouldn't still be working on the research matter. Your attention to detail is admirable, but you have too many responsibilities right now. We're going to arrive in the Chi'dan sector in a day or so," Kohl said, with some urgency returning to his timbre. "This is a perfect opportunity to practice your unpleasant-prioritizing. Whatever scientists are going to have their resources reallocated, they need that communicated to them today. It doesn't matter if it means you need to start skimming more of the literature, or if you need to make gut decisions without facts, this task needs to be completed today."

"So I need to make a decision today?" She gasped. "But sir," she started but then upon seeing the expression on his face she realised there was no point in discussing this. She sighed. "I'll make a discission within the next hour."

His eyes flicking about, Kohl took stock of Jaana's posture and micro-expressions. He was concerned she was shutting down; shutting in on herself, and hiding her struggles. Although Kohl didn't want to put Jaana into an uncomfortable situation by asking overly personal questions, he wouldn't leave her response as a yes-sir and move on. "Please remember you don't have to make that decision based on your own judgement alone," Kohl said. "You have Commander Allyndra to guide you, and you can assign work to any of the non-commissioned science officers. They're trained to analyse data and provide recommendations. I haven't assigned these responsibilities to you with any expectation for you to work twenty-hour shifts and complete all of your responsibilities without help."

"I know that," Did she really

Kohl offered Jaana a nod back. "In that case," said Kohl excitedly, "you should have no difficulty narrowing down the research resources on Galileo and transferring them over to NIMBUS activities. Thank you again, Jaana, for hearing me out so early in the day."


[OFF]

Lieutenant Commander Andreus Kohl
Executive Officer
USS Nautilus

Jaana Voutilainen
Stellar Cartographer/Acting Chief Research Officer
USS Galileo

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