New Kids on the Block, Welcome to the Odin

Posted on 28 Sep 2023 @ 8:47pm by Petty Officer 2nd Class Alizabeth Omari & Captain Easton Lawe

1,626 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Deus ex Machina
Location: Captain’s Office

The new Yeoman, Alizabeth Omari, had stowed her gear then went to the Captain’s office to report. She let herself be announced and waited for the command to enter, her uniform looked neat as a pin as she had tried to be orderly an effort to ensure not even a speck of lint would distract from her professional look, even her warm smile was tucked away in exchange for a serious expression. Dark hair was tied back, the gold decorations around neat braids catching the light above her, a piece of her heritage that she would not give up unless ordered. A datapad was behind her back, held in hands ready to access it as soon as she was needed to track something. All in all she looked like neat, serious and ready to work, all three true, but there was a twinkle in her gold eyes that displayed her warmth and humor that just could not be banished in her excitement to get started at her new post.

"Enter!" he called, looking up after he heard the doors swish open.

Captain Lawe had always found yeomen to be a bit...hit-or-miss in how well he got along with them, and he had to wonder how this new one would go. He reflected on this as he watched her walk in, recognizing her from her personnel file which had landed on his desk a couple days ago. "Petty Officer Omari?" he asked, just to be sure.

Alizabeth stepped through the door as the deep voice beckoned her in, she kept the pad between her clasped hands behind her back. She had read about the ship and its crew when she was assigned to it, and, rumors being what they were, she had heard more than was in the files she had access, only time would say what, if any, of that was true. It was a clean slate for her with them, and them with her, and most importantly her and the Captain would be establishing their connection starting in this moment.

“Yes, Captain.” She did not elaborate, but the single dimple in her cheek showed the pleasure she had in being there and meeting him.

Easton nodded once. "Welcome aboard," he said. "At ease. Come on in. Have a seat." He waved at the two chairs positioned in front of his desk. "Would you like something to drink?"

Alizabeth moved to the chairs taking the one to his right hand, an intentional placing her mother had taught her, the merchant always settled herself as a chess match might be. Higher or lower in first glance in a multi-level room, to the right or left if wanting to be in possible partnership or competition. As the Yeoman would be the Captain’s right hand, hopefully if he allowed her, she had taken that place in one of the first images he would associate with her. “Thank you, sir, tea please.”

A few moments later, Easton had a cup of hot tea in one hand and black coffee in the other. The former he handed to her before moving around behind his desk and taking his seat again. His frame was relaxed, curious. Even though he sat behind the desk, it was not being held as a position of power. "I have read your file, of course. Is there anything you'd like me to know that I wouldn't have read there?" He kept his eyes on her face as he sipped his coffee.

She held the tea in both her hands like she was using it to warm her, but clearly in the climate controlled ship it was unnecessary, golden tattoos in lovely patterns along the back of her hands and to her first knuckles, along the back of her hands and under the knuckles the tattoo was in navette patterns in blue, green, red, orange and yellow. As decorated as she liked her hair, her hands were an addition against her dark skin. “Well sir, I haven’t read my file but it likely has work, academy and family details, other than that there are small little things, I like extreme sports in the holo deck, keeping in shape and reading ancient books about the future so I can see how close we came to other’s imagination and expectations.” The tone was respectful and genuine, the smile over the mug she lifted to her lips was bright and the twinkle in her eyes lively.

Easton's brows rose slightly along with an amused half-smile. "So far, how close have the books you've read gotten to what we live now?"

“Some got generically close, a couple hit on one or two things, others are so far off they are the ones I go back to for amusement’s sake.” She grinned and shrugged one shoulder, “Of course with so much we have yet to discover they may play out yet. I am pleased to say none of the authors I have found to date in my research were precognitive.”

"That's an interesting pastime," Easton said with a chuckle. "What led you to that particular endeavor? Some particular, informative book when you were young, I imagine?"

The yeoman nodded, her posture relaxing a hint, “My mother told me about these art books they have stored away in the most protective of cases called comics. They were printed on inexpensive paper so we’re delicate even when they were created. She found a reproduction of one digitally when I said I was interested and it was titled Invisible Kingdom, I read it so many times she started looking for other comics and books she could find for me.”

She was already vastly more interesting than his last yeoman, Easton determined. "I have some passing knowledge of what you're referring to, these comics, because of one of my daughters, but I can't say that I have any personal experience with them. Do you read any more modern publications or is it just these ones from the past?"

“I do read, but admittedly more for pleasure than for study. Work gives me plenty to read and I memorize that, trying to settle in with algorithms, schematics or even biometrics in my off time leaves me uninspired. I would rather read to just enjoy, or go do something physical.” Her eyes met his and the warmth she had almost glowed in her golden depths, “Have you read any of the comics with her? Would you like some suggestions? My mother has a knack for tracking down the obscure and I know she would be happy to be sent on the trail of a new acquisition.”

"It's not something that's caught my interesting quite as strongly as her," the captain replied with a chuckle, "but I imagine she would be happy with some recommendations. I might try one myself anyway, give us something to talk about on our calls." The fact was that teenaged daughters could sometimes make things...interesting, so any common ground was something he'd be glad to grab for.

Alizabeth nodded her head slightly, “I would be happy to come up with some recommendations, you might even enjoy them if you have a chance. Other than seducing a new lady,” her hand waved at the ship around them, “what are your hobbies?”

The captain was glad she didn't linger on that last part, because he was a little startled and didn't know how to reply in the first place. The question was easier so he focused on that with a quiet, self-deprecating chuckle. "Like most ship captains, I don't have many. It's hard to stop working, after all, when you're in charge of a starship of seven hundred persons. But I do enjoy a bit of boxing, when I can. Usually just against holodeck opponents." Not many people were willing to try to hit their captain in the face. Or were too willing, which was a separate issue.

“Ooh, I have never tried boxing it looks like it would be great for hand eye coordination.” Bringing her hand up slightly, “I do hope, if you accept my help, to arrange time for you to have ‘me time’ as it is. You are a person and I would like to treat you as one which means some time away from work. Be that boxing, or baking lessons, whatever might help you to relax in those very few moments you have free.”

Now she was sounding like the counselor or doctor, but there was something about her that made him mind a little less. He chuckled deeply. "We'll see how it goes," he said, which was as committal as a captain would be. "This ship has a knack for finding trouble. Keeps a commander on his toes." Also like boxing, he reflected with some amusement.

Aliza nodded her head, “So I have heard, and I have a feeling I was assigned here to hopefully funnel out a bit of the crazy. Or and a little more crazy, in a more positive way.”

That made the captain chuckle. "It sounds like you have your work cut out for you, then," he said. "I'm not sure there's much hope for cutting down on the crazy at this point."

“Then I help you take the crazy on a per need basis. Crazy can be organized and put on a to do list surely.” That good natured tone was still there but there was a small tip to her chin that said she would wrestle the crazy in line if it would help make things easier on him.

He gave her a moment of an appraising look then smiled and nodded. "Somehow, I feel certain that if anyone can do it, you can."

 

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