Decision-making
Posted on 02 May 2021 @ 6:01pm by Lieutenant Commander Natalia Reyes & Commander Marcus Wilcox
1,002 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission: Home
It had been a couple of days since Natalia had last been down to the flight deck, and she'd had a lot to think about. And she had thought about it. Twice, even. Three times on some of it. The conclusions always seemed to be the same, although she wasn't sure if her answer would satisfy the CAG any better than her last one.
She had to try. She wouldn't lie, because that wasn't what she did. So, she'd see how it went. Natalia Reyes headed down to the flight deck, once more in search of Commander Wilcox.
Marcus sat in a rolling chair, the shop kind made of hard materials, with his feet on a short box and a cup of coffee in his hands. His focus was in the general direction of the hanger deck, his eyes roaming the noses of the fighters idly sitting there. If one could see his face if they walked around him, his eyes and mind were lost in thought in the silence of the bay.
Once she found him, Nat considered going away and coming back later. He looked...distracted. But she was here, so... "Commander?" she asked politely as she came up beside him.
Marcus turned to see Natalia and smiled, placing his feet on the ground in unison before standing up. “Natalia,” He greeted her. “I was just enjoying the serenity of the bay. I find the juxtaposition of the serenity with the role of the place quite fascinating.” He took another sip of his coffee. “How has your day started?”
"It's been fine, thank you," she said, a little unsure of handling small talk. It wasn't something that happened a lot around her, apparently. Or maybe she was just that unsettled. "And yours?"
“It has been preferential so far,” He replied sipping his coffee. He let the silence hang for a minute. “Sit, or walk? Then we discuss what’s on your mind.”
He certainly had a more...casual, almost lackadaisical, style than she was used to. Nat considered, however, that this was probably something that was just...Starfleet, certainly beyond the Terran Union. She considered his question, but then she shook her head. "I honestly have no preference, Commander."
"Shall we then?" He said, taking a step while motioning to work their way down the flight line. "Walking can help ease the mind, boost thinking. What has your mind settled on?"
"Yes, sir," she said, inclining her head slightly as they began walking. She wasn't quite sure she agreed on the effect on the mind, but she didn't really mind being on the move while they talked. "I'd still like to stay."
"Did you take time to mull it over?" He responded, their walk slow and steady, which allowed him to sip his coffee without hassle.
Natalia shrugged slightly. "I haven't done anything else for the past couple of days since we talked last. I figured that was long enough."
“Only for you to decide the correct amount of time,” Marcus replied, looking around at the bay. “So you want to join the crew then?”
"Yes," she replied. She didn't elaborate on the thought process that she'd had over the past two days or what ultimately made her decide this, but she gave him her honest answer. "I'd like to join your pilots. I have a lot of experience in the area."
Marcus nodded, drinking his coffee slowly. “I appreciate the insight you took to make the decision,” he replied. “Your name is already on file. You shall start your study of our systems today. As soon as your through that we will move to simulator and then flight time.” He sipped his coffee as they made the slow gradual curve to go back up the other row. “I expect your check off time to not take too long.”
Natalia offered a spare smile. "I should expect not. Your craft are not so wildly different from ours..." She trailed off. "From what I've been used to and trained of, at least." She knew there wasn't really an "ours" for her any more. Not anymore, not yet.
“We shall also set up a time to debrief on your previous flight time,” He continued. “I have curiosity about your record and previous equipment.”
"At least some of my file was sent from the Union to the Odin, so you should be able to access that," Nat offered. "The rest, I can compile the information for you and then we can discuss it further if you have any questions?"
Marcus nodded. "That will suffice. You have any questions for me?"
Nat considered for a moment. "You will determine my placement in the air group after reviewing my file and sim runs, I presume?"
“You will determine your spot based on your file and sim runs, yes,” Marcus responded, a clarifying statement that was probably neither here nor there, but the distinction was important to him. “Unless you want me to flip a coin?” He added, the subtlest uptick of the corner of his mouth, the start to a possible smile.
At that, her eyes narrowed slightly as her brows shifted inward. Reading subtle facial and vocal cues had never been her strong suit. She wasn't intelligence organization material, really. After a moment, she decided it was humor and her face relaxed. "No, sir. I'm content to be placed based on my merits."
"Any other questions?" He reiterated, wanting to ensure equal footing on knowledge between the two pilots.
"No, sir," she said again, shaking her head slightly. "Not at the moment, at least. I'm eager to get started." All this sitting and thinking and not doing was starting to make her batty.
"Then you are dismissed," He replied.
Natalia Reyes nodded once, then turned smartly on her heel--still military, after all--and made her way off the flight deck. At least now she had a direction, and that made her feel better. She wasn't a woman who handled being rudderless very well.
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