What happened yesterday?
Posted on Tue Jul 9th, 2019 @ 11:42am by Ensign Dana Wakefield
Edited on on Tue Jul 9th, 2019 @ 10:53pm
1,290 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Episode 7 - Home Again
Location: XO Ready Room
Timeline: MD005 0815 hrs
"Lieutenant Wakefield, please have a seat," Quinn said, as he watched Dana walk into his ready room. He had summoned her, after receiving a complaint from his wife. Quinn had reviewed the footage and verified that the incident did happen. He did not doubt his wife, this would make it easier to prove this had happened.
"Thank you, Sir, but I prefer to stand," she replied, standing at attention at the foot of his desk, looking straight ahead and not giving any contact. "Lieutenant Wakefield, reporting as ordered."
"As you wish," Quinn said, as he looked over at Dana. She seemed very rigid off the bat. "Do you know why I called you into my office?" Quinn asked, with a monotone level voice to him. As he waited for a response, he took a small sip from his coffee.
Dana pondered for a moment, in all honesty, it could be for a number of reasons, the last few days had been exhausting, especially the whole departmental meeting, perhaps one of the staff had complained.
"No, Sir," she said shrugging her shoulders giving him an honest answer, but to be summoned to the Executive Officers office, it must be serious.
"I was advised that the bridge environment was a little hostile last night. After reviewing the footage, I would tend to agree. I wanted to talk to you about what transpired last night." Quinn said, in a cool and collected voice. He was not trying to rile up Dana.
"Hostile? sir," she said with a genuine sound of disbelief. "I simply paid a surprise visit to a new junior officer whom I had assigned to the night shift, upon my arrival there was ideal chit chat, I simply set the tone and my expectations while on the bridge." She paused, taking a breath "One is not there to chit chat, with the damage that ship has suffered and the current ongoing repairs, there is plenty to be done."
"According to the footage, your tone was very hostile. And I understand you need to establish leadership, with your team. But do you honestly think, the condescending tone and public belittling is the best route to go?" Quinn asked he was impressed that Dana did not hide who she was. She was a gifted operations officer and had a lot to learn about leadership.
"My tone was my normal tone, sir. I simply like order and things to work a certain way, which I explained to the Ensign." she paused, anger building up in her stomach "If I had to walk one of them down the corridor naked, ringing a bell, shouting, shame. I would." she said pausing "At the end of the day, a new junior officer was been distracted on his first operational shift when he clearly needed to concentrate, with all due respect sir. If the crew wish to socialise and get to know each other, or make introductions then they can do so, off duty, in, after all, their own quarters or where ever they wish." She said, raising her voice a notch, still standing to attention avoiding his gaze.
"The bridge is vital to starship operations, but its one should feel welcomed and invited on the bridge. We do not rule with an iron fist. Maybe that was or was not your intention. But the impression, I am getting from multiple sources, is that you were a little hard on the new ensign. And it should have done in private." Quinn said, being a little more direct with Dana. He was trying his best, to get her to see that what she did, while not wrong, was the wrong thing to do given the setting they were in.
"And maybe that's the problem" she muttered under her breath, sometimes to rule with an iron fist was the only way, it instilled discipline and..then it hit her, multiple sources. "If I may, sir. You said multiple sources..." her memory darting to the scence "I take it you mean Lieutenant Flannagáin because I can not for one moment think Ensign Robertson made a complaint because if he had the balls, he would have stood up from himself on the bridge." she snapped, her anger now clearly showing as her eyes narrowed and fell on the Commander for the first time in the meeting.
"There were other crew members on the bridge, beyond Lieutenant O' Flannagáin and Ensign Robertson. While I appreciate the fact, you feel free to come to my office, I will insist that you do so with the understanding that professional courtesy's will be followed. Am I clear?" Quinn rhetorically asked her. He was basically telling her, you will be professional in his office. Dana seemed to lack at this very moment, professionalism. How could this slip by? She was a full Lieutenant, on the eve of making Lieutenant Commander. The last thing she needed was to be written up for insubordination due to lack of professionalism.
"Yes, Sir," she replied, showing him the correct respect he would deserve, but deep down Dana knew it was Lieutenant O'Flannagáin who had made the complaint, but not to worry, she would find out. "My apologies, I..." she stopped herself for a moment, "I will apologize to those involved, sometimes I just..." she paused again "Perhaps this R+R will allow me to relax a little, wind down after the previous mission, I still feel a little on edge, again I shouldn't take it out on the crew, again my apologies."
"I think some R&R would do you some good. Take advantage of our stay at Empok Nor." Quinn said, wondering deep down, if she would take advantage, or if she would not let it go. Either way, he would need to keep an eye on her.
"I will sir, I plan on spending some time on the station, clear my head, let my hair down a little," she said a small smile appearing. "Again, sir. I apologize for my my inappropriateness, I will make things right," she said standing to attention.
"I trust you will handle the Jayden and Paul situation, without my interference." He said, in a stern tone. He did not want to come off as an ass, but he wanted her to fix the mess she created between the three of them. Quinn chalked this up, to a bad day for Dana. He was not going to hold this over her.
Dana nodded, she could tell it wasn't a request and handle it she would, in her own unique way. "Received loud and clear, sir. I'll make it right."
"Very well, anything you want to bring to my attention, Lieutenant Wakefield?" Quinn asked, more as a formality than sincerity. But this was her chance, to address any concerns she had.
"No sir," she said standing to attention and looking straight ahead again. All she wanted to do was get the hell out of his office and head to the mess hall for a relaxing coffee.
"Dismissed Lieutenant." Quinn said, he forced himself to sit in his chair, typically he would stand up, and walk the officer out. But he was trying to send her a message, to get her shit squared away, and in a hurry.
With that Dana nodded, she stood to attention before turning and headed quickly for the exit, that could have gone worse, she thought as she planned her next moves in her head.
A Joint Post By
Commander Quinn Ó Flannagáin
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Dana Wakefield
Chief Operations Officer, USS Pioneer
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