Rank and File

Posted on Thu Aug 29th, 2019 @ 10:16pm by Lieutenant Commander Yarinna "Fanthom" Hawkins & Lieutenant Cyrin Xanth

Mission: Onboarding & Departure
Location: Ten Forward Lounge, Deck 10
Timeline: Incidentals

Cyrin sat down at a table in the lounge a few minutes before his scheduled meeting was set to begin. It afforded him a chance to observe some of his new crew mates. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the place was nearly empty. Given that it wasn't quite midday yet, and that almost every crew member was helping get things ready for departure, he hadn't expected to see much in the end. It did make for an easy way to have a private chat in a comfortable setting though, and that this was less formal was important to him.

There was something nervous about the young Trill man as he ordered a cup of coffee and looked around over the steam rising from his mug. Not just a lot of restrained energy, an uncomfortableness for sitting still, he really wasn't looking forward to this meeting. Things could go terribly wrong, or at least Cyrin's imagination had come up with a few dozen ways so, ever since he read the ship manifest. Any moment now, and his eyes glanced over to the entrance, Lieutenant Commander Hawkins was going to come through that door. Perhaps he should have ordered something a bit stronger than coffee.

Yarinna was debating on what to do once she got to ten forward. Would she eat or get a drink then eat, oh decisions decisions, thinking as she entered the lounge. The lounge was not really crowded so she got herself a drink and eyed who was in the place. 'Hm....not many people', she thought, then her eyes fell on a young trill trying not to look nervous. Smiling, she walked over to him, "Your nerves are going to give you indigestion", she said. "I am Yarinna Hawkins, the CAG and ACFO. But you can call me by my call sign, 'Fanthom' if you like. Be you the new helm officer?", she asked.

"Here we go," Cyrin had whispered softly when he saw Yarinna Hawkins arrive. As soon as she approached his table he had bounced to his feet, almost as if he wasn't sure whether he should come to attention or not. For a moment he even looked ill as she pointed out his nervousness. "Uh...I'm a pilot, " definitely wasn't what he meant to say but it came out anyways. Cyrin glanced down at the tabletop for a moment, then back up at Hawkins, specifically her rank pips, "Right. Fanthom. Not sir? Commander even?"

Yarinna could not help herself......the actions of the young officer made her laugh. "Relax......I'm not going to bite.......sit Lieutenant Xanth", she continued to chuckle. "For now just call me Yarinna. In a pinch yell 'Fanthom' and I will appear", she said smiling. Sitting down, she ordered her food and asked, "So, how you like her so far? Everything you thought she would be?", Yarinna inquired.

At last he seemed reassured, and Cyrin even managed a brief grin as he sat back down. "Yarinna, gotcha. I don't mind just Cyrin, or Xanth, either way, if you like." He began to realize his nervousness of the situation might have been unwarranted if Yarinna tended towards the informal. "Oh, the Pennsylvania? Definitely an upgrade over my last ship. But..." He glanced around to make sure no one would overhear once the waiter left, and even lowered his voice despite the lounge being so empty. "I heard a human expression before: the ship flies like a brick, at least compared to a lot of less massive ones I've piloted."

Yarinna laughed softly....."Don't let the Chief Engineer hear you say that about her lady Penny". She knew Arianna would come out growling with that remark. "The Penny can fly better than you think in the hands of a goot and skilled pilot. I am interested in seeing how you handle her. Since I am a combat pilot, I have flown her and she handles beautifully. Then if I can arrange it maybe take out 'Ghost' for a ride?", she added.

He had nodded along with her explanation, figuring he would get better as time went on, but he wondered. An Excelsior-Class, like his last ship, had almost a full million tonnes less mass than a Nebula-Class like Pennsylvania, and no matter how he'd tried to make a cruiser fly like a destroyer he'd never managed it. At her last comment, Cyrin's curiosity lit up, "That's your fighter, right? What class are you flying? Are we going to be carrying a full compliment on board for this mission?" This was an area he was obviously interested in, and all trace of nervousness left him as he leaned in to listen closely to Yarinna's response.

"Well slow down Xanth begore you fall over your tongue. I fly a Gryphon, Mk ll. My personal fighter is a Mk.lll Valkyer but that sits in the hanger bay of DS11 for now. Because the Penny is basically a flying sensir pod, we do not have a fighter squadron but we do have a scout ship and several shuttles. My basic function is flying the scout ship, relieving you, and if things get dicey, then I fly 'Ghost'. I see you are very interested in my fighter. Did you try for fighter training?", Yarinna asked.

"Wow," Cyrin had whispered under his breath. Then, more normal, "I always wanted to try the Mark 2. Did they wind up sticking with Valor-Class?" Her explanation of her job here, and all of his previous fears vanished. He'd make sure to thank her in a bit, but for the moment she'd gotten him hooked with the talk of fighters. "I flew a Mark 1 in my cadet squadron, but I missed a qualification my last year and, well...starships and shuttles ever since. You wouldn't maybe want to train up an assistant too?" The young man went on, at warp speed, two minds thinking the same exact thing, "I mean, obviously, your ship. But I'd really like to do some maintenance sometime. Take care of the paint. Maybe get some pointers from you." Take Ghost out himself once or twice, the look of joy on his face plainly said.

Yarinna stuck her foot in the proverbial pile of poo this time. The eagerness of poor Xanth was like a bubbling brook. His excitement and eagerness was overwhelming. "Slow down......this is something we are going to talk over with the captain first. However, when you are off duty and myself as well, then you can hang with me while I do the maintence on Ghost. Maybe even het you some simulation time ya?", sje added chuckling.

The young man looked as if she'd just promised him the world with how he beamed, "Thank you so much, Yarinna! I gotta admit, I was afraid all this was gonna go...well a bit differently." Even as he laid out his worries, Cyrin didn't sound so concerned anymore; Yarinna had put him at ease with how easy she was to get along with. Still, even if he wasn't suspicious of her anymore, he still wondered about things, "This is my first senior staff posting, and considering the mission it's huge for me. When I saw the roster, saw someone so much higher in rank as the Assistant Conn, well...I sorta expected Starfleet had put you here to run things, that they didn't trust me to do the job."

"Well they were wrong. I was transferred her for combat and piloting the scout ship. Until they found a permanent Helmsman, I got the job. Now you are here, I get to fly the Penny when it is my turn. After you of course", she said smiling. I will be near by when you assume the helm. Don't let her intimidate you, just show her who is the boss and fly her", Yarinna added smiling at Cyrin.

"Thank you, Commander," Cyrin used her rank in his response to show some gratitude and respect, even if his big smile and lit up eyes couldn't. Yarinna might not know it yet but she'd earned his loyalty and friendship with just this short conversation. "It means a lot that you understand." He glanced down at the PADD he'd left on the table and then back up again, "Speaking of our department some more, I had some ideas on building the duty roster. Pilot assignments, shuttle maintenance rotations, for the rest of the team. Would you mind taking a look, see if you come up with any suggestions?"

"Sure I can look it over and we can discuss it later over a drink if you wish but right no I have to get my ass back to work. I will pick you up at 1930. See you then Lieutenant", she said as she got up and left the lounge.