A Petty Officer's Welcome

Posted on 05 Nov 2024 @ 12:48am by Lieutenant JG Serran & Petty Officer 3rd Class Yasmin Aquino
Edited on on 14 Nov 2024 @ 12:24am

1,356 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 20 - Reconstruction
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 3, Operations Manager's Office
Timeline: MD03 - 1600

[ON]

If Petty Officer 3rd Class Yasmin Aquino knew full well was personnel change time. There was only one word that can properly describe the initial few days: chaotic. Frankly, Yasmin was caught up in the typhoon. There was on-boarding procedures, quarters assignments and getting to know them, and there was the fact that she had to make sure that her superior officers were made aware of her existence. Based on that, she had finally been able to find the time to check in with her Department Head, Lieutenant JG Serran. A rather interesting Vulcan who had similarities with the looks of a human Scandinavian was who she called Sir.

Approaching the Lieutenant's office, she found herself, looking once again, up to the Lieutenant as she reported in. For whatever reason, the nursery rhyme of being a teapot, one that was short and stout. After all, she wanted to make the claim that she was the shortest person, being 5'2, on board the ship. Regardless, she was going to bring the honor of the Philippines to the Galileo.

"Lieutenant Serran, Sir? I am Petty Officer 3rd Class Yasmin Aquino, reporting as ordered."

Serran looked up from the PADD he'd been examining as he heard the woman enter.

"Good afternoon Petty Officer. It is agreeable to see you. Could I get you something from the replicator? I was going to have a ginger ale."

Yasmin thought about it and a drink did come to mind.

"If you do not mind, Sir, I would like a Root Beer. It's not the healthiest of options but I admit it is delicious."

"My ex used to like Root Beer. As for myself, I never did develop a taste for it. But to each his own I suppose. One Root Beer coming up."

A minute or so later Serran handed Yasmin her drink.

"There you go Petty Officer. Again, welcome aboard. I believe the standard protocol is for me to ask you to tell me a little about yourself."

Yasmin took a sip of her drink, allowing the drink to run down her throat as she thought about the words that were to be coming up the same passage. She thought about Manila, her home. She thought about the various ships she had served on, as well as why she was serving aboard the Galileo.

"I first served aboard the Excalibur, working patrols over at the Romulan Neutral Zone. After I advanced to PO3, I was transferred to the Monitor, where I was a Utilities Management team leader. However, I was still in the Neutral Zone on patrol duty. It took a lot of time, and nagging if I am honest, and the moment I could be transferred I came here. From what I was told, this was as far away from patrolling as it could get as deep space exploration."

"You heard correctly. We are a science vessel, and while things can sometimes become routine, it is nothing like patrolling."

"What drew you to a ship like this? Why did you want to avoid patrols?"

"I must be honest with you, Sir. Being aboard a patrol ship next to the Neutral Zone is a lot like playing the human child game of being a rubber ball attached to a string to a paddle, and you are the ball. You play it enough times, eventually you know what to do, you know what is expected, you know what happens if something does happen."

"Being out on the frontier, it is like playing the same only there is no string. There are no monotonous days, except for the transit times in between missions, but that's different. I joined Star Fleet for adventure, not being stuck on the same route and trying to count how many REM cycles between each patrol point just to pass the time."

"That does make logical sense. Why the Galileo and not another ship on the frontier?"

"Unless you are willing to promote me to Chief Petty Officer, the Galileo was the only choice. The other frontier ships already had their billets for PO3's full. Also, the Galileo has a reputation for being not just on the frontier but having a scientific mission on top of that. My brother, Crewman Recruit Ryan Aquino, was the scientifically minded of the three of us. My oldest brother is a Lieutenant and an instructor at the Academy, and he put in a good word to Star Fleet Command for my assignment to "help" carry on Ryan's legacy."

The corners of Serran's lips curled upward ever so slightly before his face returned to its normal impassive expression.

"Excellent response Petty Officer. I'm not the one with the authority to promote you, and I'm assuming you weren't being serious. However, if you prove yourself, I'll see what I can do to make that promotion happen."

Yasmin shook her head with subtlety.

"Honestly Sir, a chance of promotion is nice and all, but that is really not my overall objective. Ideally, I would like to go to Warrant Officer School, but that is in the future. For now, my objective is to do my duty as best I can. I know being in my position isn't the focal role on board, and I know that the Galileo's mission might not be the focal role in Star Fleet. That being said, I want to help out everyone's mission as best I can."

"Again, a noble idea, and one I admire. Do you have any specific ideas for accomplishing this goal?"

"Honestly Sir, considering that there are only a handful of us, my idea is training myself on how to do your job for you."

An explanation was required. Filipinos can be rather blunt at times.

"Please understand that I am not suggesting that I attempt to usurp yours or Ensign Mimi's rank and authority by any means, Sir. Rather, I have come to understand that there are not that many of us as a crew, least of all the department. Should you or Ensign Mimi become unavailable for whatever reason, I doubt the Captain will appreciate me looking at her saying, "I have no idea how to do any of what you just said." That would not look good on a performance review, least of all a promotion board."

"That is logical, Petty Officer, and knowing the Captain as I do, not that I know her extremely well, the last thing you want to do is not be able to answer her, or look as though you are the proverbial deer in the headlights."

"Just how were you planning on doing this training?"

"On the job training Sir. I suspect that with a small crew, especially with a small team per duty shift, I will be asked to perform tasks that are either at or above my station. I have been told when I applied for this posting that there is only 60 of the entire crew and that I would be asked to perform other tasks to help assist the crew. I don't know exactly how all of that is going to work out, but I expect to do whatever I can to be a resource to you and of course the command staff."

"That is both reasonable and logical. Additionally it shows clear thinking on your part and I like your initiative." Serran replied.

"Is there anything else you need? Any other questions?"

"No sir. Again, thank you for having me on board and I look forward to our next mission."

"Excellent Petty Officer. You are dismissed It is good to have you as part of the crew."

"Aye, aye Sir."

Yasmin stood at attention, and then she made her way out of the office. She was filled with an excitement that she had not felt in a long time, and she thought about her brother Ryan, not wanting to let him down.

[OFF]

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LTJG Serran
Operations Manager
USS Galileo-A

PO3 Yasmin Aquino
Operations Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Kov]

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