Pass the Torch

Posted on 08 Feb 2016 @ 5:27am by Lieutenant Wilhelm Von Haeften & Commander Andreus Kohl

1,746 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, Second Officer's Office
Timeline: MD 80 - 1844 hours

[ON]

Lieutenant Junior Grade Wilhelm Von Haeften strode down the corridor, looking for one office in particular. His quarry had so far eluded him, but at last, he found it: the Second Officer's office. At the moment, it was the work home to one Lieutenant Commander Andreus Kohl, formerly the officer who occupied the slot Wilhelm now held.

Wilhelm had served aboard vessels and bases where resentment between officer's made life very difficult in close confines. From what the German had heard, Kohl had greatly enjoyed his role as the CSO, and was considered by all to be a good and capable officer. It made Wil wonder if he could ever fill the role of such a much admired and respected man.

However, Wilhelm was usually a man of action, and decided that before any resentment could boil to the surface, if at all, he was going to confront it head on. He wasn't sure what his plan was going to be, but he figured the first step is to see the Two-Oh.

Stopping outside the office door, Wilhelm hit the chime to gain admittance.

At the sound of the chime, Kohl tossed off a quick, "Come in," to trigger the door mechanism and to suit social graces. Otherwise, he continued what he was doing.

The parting of the door panels revealed Andreus Kohl was standing behind his desk with his back to the entryway. He was standing far too close to the large LCARS companel set into the bulkhead. At that moment, the panel was offering a peek at Galileo's Master Systems Display, with a focus on the ongoing efforts towards restocking and repairs. Although Kohl was clad in his uniform, generally speaking, the desk chair was the one wearing Kohl's black and grey jacket and combadge. In his exposed crimson tunic, Kohl was stood with a tea cup raised lazily near his shoulder, as he studied the LCARS display more closely than his own body language.

Von Haeften came to stiff attention and saluted, palm outward.

"Herr KommandeurLeutnant, Leutnant Wilhelm Von Haeften requests permission to speak to you." the German said formally, using the german equivalent of their respective ranks to color his request.

And that took hold of Andreus Kohl's full attention.

"What--?" Kohl started to ask as soon as his ears were assaulted by the unfamiliar language. Shaking his head, Kohl spun around to face Wilhelm. He spun fast enough to send most of the tea splashing from out of his cup. Kohl's sapphire eyes were immediately drawn to the uncommon salute and the improbably perfect lines of Wilhelm's uniform. Kohl gaped at him, gaped at his shiny boots, and finally finished his thought with, "...is happening? Is this a prank? Are you a stripper?"

Still holding the salute, Wilhelm tried hard not to break his composure.

"Um..no sir. I'm Lieutenant Von Haften, Chief of Science aboard the Galileo, requesting permission to speak with you." the German said.

"Oh," Kohl said, and then he said, "Oh!" He breathed out a, "Huh." Kohl shook his head again and he set down his tea cup on the desk. Spreading his arms expansively, Kohl remarked, "Permission granted."

Wilhelm dropped his salute crisply, the force of which made a slapping sound as his arm connected with his right thigh. Still at attention, as he had not been granted permission to be at ease, and the German figured more formality cannot be wrong under the circumstances, Von Haeften continued.

"Sir, it is my understanding that you were my predecessor as CSO, Ja?"

Taking slow, measured steps, Kohl moved 'round the desk that sat between them. To Wilhelm's question, Kohl answered with a single, deep nod, and he said, "You understand correctly. I had the privilege of leading this tough little ship's science department last."

"I undertsand further that you were very good at it and highly respected by the crew. I came to apologize sir, since I was told your absence, although unknown at the time, was not permenant, and they brought me on board as your replacement. It was not my intention to be an usurper. I just wanted to speak with you and ensure there was no bitterness about the unusual circumstances. In fact, if you are willing, I'd welcome your advice and guidance as a mentor sir."

Kohl nodded at each of the points Wilhelm made and then he raised a hand, as if to pluck his response from the air. "As I will be remaining with Galileo as her Second Officer," Kohl said, "all of my insights are yours. Every peculiarity of our scientists that I hold in my head is yours for the taking. I want you to succeed here, Leutnant Von Haeften."

Wilhelm was taken aback a bit by the fact that the Two-Oh spoke his German rank, until he realized he had uttered it a few seconds before.

"If I may ask sir, I'm having some difficulty coming to terms with the split reasearch and science department; how did you get it to function effectively? And what happens if neither side can agree on a course of action?"

While he collected his thoughts, Kohl perched himself on the edge of his desk and he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. Because it was a simple statement of fact, he was able to start with, "Before I served as Chief Science Officer, I served as Galileo's Chief Research Officer. I understand your dilemma. I do." --He rubbed the back of his neck again, as he considered his words again-- "It was only manageable by agreeing on a set of priorities with my counterpart from the start. Chief of Science was a leader of people. All scientists, Starfleet and civilian, reported to the Chief Science Officer. Chief of Research was a leader of discipline. The Chief Research Officer was responsible for all activity for the sake of scientific discovery itself, especially any projects offered by the civilian institutions or Starfleet Science. Mind you, given the Chief Research Officer's rank and title, the CRO supported the Chief Science Officer in developing the Starfleet personnel and giving direction to anyone in the department.

"The Chief Science Officer remained responsible for all scientific activity that supported the primary and secondary missions outlined by the Command Staff," Kohl continued. "Resources were allocated to those missions first, and in times of peril, all esoteric research would come to a halt. If Commander Stace and I couldn't come to agreement on how to resources our respective responsibilities, we would take the matter to the Executive Officer or the Second Officer to resolve... but neither of us wanted to be that guy. So we found a way to reach agreement. Every time."

"I understand sir." Von Haeften replied. "Don't misunderstand me sir, I get along swimmingly with our CRO. We have so far meshed our respective teams into a cohesive unit. My question was only to answer the 'what ifs' if they were to occur so I don't have to 'make it up' as I go."

"Eh," Kohl sighed and he shrugged dramatically. He shook his head briefly, when he said, "Anytime I prepare for my what ifs, I get saddled with a whole other species of what if. So long as you and Oren agree on a decision-making philosophy, a framework, I imagine that should carry you through any number of what ifs?"

"Yes sir." the German replied. It seemed like a safe enough answer.

Kohl nodded quickly at Wilhelm's response and he leaned back slightly, from where he was sitting on the desk. Kohl folded his arms across his chest, as he listened raptly for what Wilhelm chose to say next. Only, there was no next. The silence grew thick between them; the pause conceived a pregnancy. "So," was what Kohl finally said. "Why did you join Starfleet then," Kohl asked. "The duty or the adventure?"

"The duty sir...at least at first. I was a Reservist for nearly eight years, but joined the Active Fleet to seek adventure." Wil said.

Kohl narrowed his eyes at Wilhelm, as if it would pinpoint is focus on nothing but the other man in the room. After taking a breath, Kohl asked, "The duty wasn't fulfilling in the end?"

Wilhelm was not sure if he was being insulted.

"Begging your pardon sir, but the fulfillment of my duty is always in my mind, even as I seek adventure. People thank us for our service, but in reality it is my honor to serve sir. I simply wanted to experience adventure as well as duty." the German said, perhaps more defensively than needed.

Taking clear notice of Wilhelm's tone of voice, Kohl nodded slowly at every point Wilhelm made. He allowed Wilhelm to finish and he even waited another smattering of heartbeats before he responded. Kohl had been thinking about what Wilhelm had said, and so his own words came out half-baked. "You don't--" Kohl started to say, but he laughed in a self-depreciating manner. "You don't have to prove anything to me. Me-- I-- I press buttons to see what happens, you know?"

A grin came to Kohl's lips unbidden as Kohl offered Wilhelm a palms-up shrug.

Von Haeften flushed as he noticed that he overstepped his bounds, but laughed good-naturedly with his superior.

"I just puppetmaster the SCIDEP myself sir." Wil said, joining in the self-deprecating wit.

"Persuade the officers to execute your objectives," Kohl asked, to test his understanding, "while allowing them to believe it was their own ideas?" His posture relaxed, became more open. He looked to Wilhem with only curiosity.

"'Take no credit, accept all blame.'" Von Haeften quoted. He too had taken Lieutenant Commander Costanza's class on leadership theory at the Academy.

"See?" Kohl remarked, "Don't you see? We'll get along just fine."

"Yessir. If there is nothing else sir...?" the German inquired, coming to attention.

"You..." Kohl started to say. He trailed off, though, as his mind drew a blank. His gaze went on walkabout and then he found Wilhelm again. "...are permitted to leave," Kohl said.

Von Haeften saluted crisply, turned on his heel, and left his superior's office at a brisk pace.

[OFF]

Lieutenant Commander Andreus Kohl
Second Officer
USS Galileo

&

Lieutenant JG Wilhelm Von Haeften
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

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