Episode 11


Life In the Trenches
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10

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Chapter 1

{Conference Room}

Captain Myst walked into the conference room feeling refreshed from long hours of sleep. With her was Commander Daem. For the first time in more than a week the entire senior staff was assembled.

"Since today is Commander Daem's official first day as First Officer of the Griffin, I am going to allow her to conduct the meeting," Myst announced then sat down. Daem continued standing.

"What no more cowboy diplomacy?" Dr. Stone quipped. If Daem were capable of blushing, she might have. As it was Myst looked from Daem to Stone with a questionable expression, but decided not to say anything.

"It is rare that as her first act, an Executive Officer is allowed to name her second officer," Daem said. "I am extremely fortunate to already have on board the ship the person who is my first choice for the job. I am honored to be able to name our new Second Officer, Commander Sable."

The room broke out in applause.

"Now," said Daem, "business that has been waiting almost a week. I received a directive from Starfleet. As all of you should remember from being a cadet, each year one ship out of the fleet was selected to have it's entire crew write about what a typical week on board a starship is like in their position. Well, we are the lucky ship this year."

"Remember your writings will be reviewed by cadets looking to someday be in your position on some ship," Daem continued. "The writings do not go to the Captain or myself, or anyone else on board the ship and they don't go to counselors at Starfleet, so please be honest. I think we all remember getting some writings that clearly were just trying to say what they thought Starfleet wanted to hear. Let's not do that, they just aren't helpful to the cadets, and this year Starfleet is going to allow the cadets to send follow up questions if they wish."

Daem handed each officer a padd. "On these padds are codes for your staff that will get their submissions to cadets training in their fields," Daem said. "The only ‘big brother' part to this is that the codes also tell me who has not done it. However that information does not even go to the Captain," Daem said with a smile.

"So lets set an example of doing it, and lets talk this up to your staff. Okay now, reports?" she asked.

The rest of meeting proceeded and concluded as usual.


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Chapter 2

{Ready Room}

Priscilla rounded her desk slowly. She was looking at the decorations around her office while thinking about what she was going to say to the command cadets. She hadn't really just sat and looked at her things in a long while. Seemed like there just hadn't been time to recently.

Priscilla sat on the couch with a light sigh. Looking around again, she smiled. Yes, that would be how she opened her message. Though, she wanted to add some stuff for the future diplomats too. She'd have to remember to ask that her message be sent to them as well.

Picking up a PADD she began to compose her message:

"Dear Cadets,

Thinking back on when I last read one of these, and all that's happened since, I first have to say that no matter what you read, it will not prepare you for the reality. You've all heard over and over again about all the wonders and challenges and adventures that await you out here. And it's true! But everything I've experience has been nothing like I was told about. And I'm certain many things I am about to tell you will not match up with what the future holds for you.

Still, I remember always looking forward to the exciting news from 'out there.' So I'll start with my most intense experience in Starfleet first, which actually happened when we had received (false) intelligence that my boyfriend at the time had been kidnapped. Yes, it's true, Starfleet is fallible. But thankfully it's not often, and your staff is there to make sure not often occurs only rarely. But I'll speak more on the value of, and the importance of valuing, your staff later. Then I'll talk about surprises that occur which the Academy can not prepare you for, but during which you must appear collected and in control despite the fear and doubt or confusion and hopelessness you will feel, such as when we were suddenly and accidentally pulled out of the galaxy...


{That evening, Myst's Quarters}

Priscilla sipped at a cup of tea. Re-reading her half finished message for the third time, she bit her lip in contemplation. (It's too long,) she thought again with slight annoyance. (And I've barely touched on the *actual* assignment!)

She set the PADD down and leaned back. After a few moments she picked up the PADD again and opened a new file. She took the first two paragraphs from her first message and placed them in the second. After a couple modifications to remove the suggestions that she would elaborate on stories later, she continued with:

"Amazingly enough, much of my time is not spent dealing with emergencies or alien species. It's spent in standard routines, filling out reports, managing the ship, etc. Out here the exciting comes in strong and fast bursts. The result of such can be a long recovery. And some things you never get over, like losing an officer under your command, or worse, a friend. In light of such things, the time between the exciting incidents is a welcome reprieve. I'd say a good 70% of life on a starship is nothing anyone other than your parents would want to hear about. Another 25% of the time is what makes our jobs out here worth it, and usually comes only with the recognition of those you serve with. Only that last 5%, if that, will make any history books.

"It's all in how you use your time, and knowing how to find and land the missions you want from Starfleet Command, to keep things on a starship from being dull..."


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Chapter 3

{Griffin- Travin's Quarters}

Travin gave an irritated grunt as she deleted her most recent attempt at her composition from the PADD. Nothing she wrote seemed to work. Too formal, too saccharine, too specific, too commanding, too vague. None of the words or phrases she came up with seemed genuine. Her writing skills from her academy days were rusty from disuse. And even that writing had mostly been academic papers. Nothing personal.

Rinali looked away from the blank PADD, scanning the room for some sort of inspiration. It offered little help. The books only served as a reminder of her lacking writing skills. Her Klingon heirlooms recalled her duty to complete this assignment. Her bed reminded Rinali of how tired she was of working on it.

"Enough," Rinali said to herself, turning away from the uninspiring furnishings. She picked up the PADD and headed for the door.

"Time for a change of scenery."


{Holodeck}

"Run program Travin0119303."

The holodeck's customary grid transformed. Rinali stood in a familiar room, sparsely furnished with a low table and two iron candlesticks, their lights doused. Two trees cashed dark silhouettes against the rice paper windows as a mighty rainstorm raged outside.

Rinali sat down in front of the table and set the PADD down on it, creating a strange anachronism in the spare surroundings. She had nearly forgotten about the one time she had used this place for something other than meditation. The stress of finals at the academy had left Rinali with a bad case of writer's block and a thesis due in a week. There was too much distraction anywhere else. Here she could concentrate.

Rinali closed her eyes.

"Run variation 1.1. Conceal object PADD. Transfer all writing onto PADD."

Rinali opened her eyes again. The two candles were lit. On the table in front of Rinali was a stack of paper, a stone inkwell, and a thin brush. The PADD had vanished. Rinali laid a sheet of paper directly in front of her. She lifted the brush, dipped it into the ink, and began to write:

"Dear Cadets,

"I have been asked to tell you about a typical week on a Starfleet vessel in my role as Chief of Security. I have given much thought to this task and come to the conclusion that it is impossible. No matter what you may be led to believe, there is no such thing as a typical week on a Starfleet vessel. I could tell you about the daily routines and procedures I follow throughout the week almost without fail. But you have spent your years at Starfleet Academy learning what these routines and procedures are and how to follow them correctly. Starfleet has also done everything they can to prepare you for those things which fall outside of the normal routine. Nothing that I say can prepare you for the unexpected catastrophes that may befall your ship. I have learned to rely on my training and instinct in these times and so shall you.

"Some of you are probably wondering why I would say that there are no typical weeks on board a starship. Certainly there are times when nothing threatens your vessel's safety, when absolutely nothing exciting is happening? This is true. But even these "ordinary" days are not all alike. This is because any ship is made up of individuals and individuals change from day to day. The ship will remain the same as will the routines on board the ship which you must perform. But the people will change and you must be aware of this. You must be aware that your civilian quarters guard is starting to resent the position that constantly keeps him away from all the action. You must know when one of your team is spending all of her free time on the holodeck and learn why. You must discover at once that your weapons officer is in deep mourning over the death of another crew member. And if you cannot learn these things yourself, you must discover people who can and keep them close to you. For all of these people could potentially fail in their duty. And my job is to make certain that no one - myself included - fails in their duty to protect my ship.

"I do not mean to imply that you must solve all of these people's problems. You should not spend your days trying to discover why your civilian quarters guard craves excitement, help the holodeck addict kick the habit, or talk the mourning weapons officer through his grief. These things are the job of the ship's counselor, who is probably far better equipped to deal with them than you are. What you must do is to remove these potential security risks as quickly as possible. This can be as simple as moving a member of your staff to a less stressful (or more exciting) position or as final as dismissing them from duty permanently.

"As you can imagine, these actions may not make you the best loved among the senior staff. If that is important to you, I suggest you pursue a career other than Chief of Security. Your top priority is to make certain that your ship is safe at all times. You must take whatever actions are necessary to make this so. Whether this makes you beloved or despised among you staff is irrelevant. You are responsible for keeping the people on your ship alive. That concern far outweighs the desire to be liked by your staff.

"If you are to be an effective Chief of Security, though your staff need not like you, they must be able to trust you. The best way I have found to earn the trust of my staff is through consistency. You cannot expect your staff to respect or trust you if you hold most of them to one standard of work and let one person get by on mediocre performance because he is an admiral's son, a close personal friend, or involved with you. Hold all of your staff to the same standards. These standards must be in effect constantly, not just when you feel their is a need for heightened security. Always hold yourself to the same level of excellence you ask of your team. Know how to perform the jobs you ask of your team. This allows you to take over in emergency situations and to show your crew that you would not ask them to do anything you are unwilling to do yourself."

Rinali paused and glanced over her work. She set the page down with the others she had completed.

"End program," she commanded. The holodeck returned to its grid pattern.

Rinali picked up the PADD that had just materialized on the floor in front of her. She skimmed through the file containing her writings. It needed work, certainly, but it was a start. Rinali rose to her feet and left the holodeck. If she got stuck again, she could always return.


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Chapter 4

Ryan resided in the quiet confines of her quarters, busily composing her 'essay' of sorts for the Academy cadets. Unlike most, Sable was a doer. If something needed doing, in this case, writing, it would be bluntly done regardless of inspiration. With every report, essay, letter; she would sit and immediately start with little pondering. Her philosophy was bluntness, not grandiloquence or the desire to be famous by quote. So while many other crew members struggled with that ill-mannered fairy called 'writer's block,' Sable was nearly done within the hour. She began reading through it for the purpose of editing...

Freeman on the other hand was walking in circles by his desk. What could he tell these cadets that would give them hope and inspire them? It took him a while to decide that a direct, to the point essay would be in order. Sitting down at his desk he started to write. An accomplished, published writer in several scholarly journals something as enlightened as this essay was pleasing to him. Meticulous in detail, his mind functioned like a word processor, churning out page after page as fast as he could type. In the background Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 blared, the encouraging sounds of the "Ode to Joy" bolstering his resolve, and writing speed. Before long he was humming along with the orchestra. He stopped typing for a moment to look over at some of what he had written...

(Beginning of Ryan's Essay)
"Dear Academy Cadets; you are about to embark on a demanding journey, perhaps one of the most demanding you have yet to encounter. Your journey obviously begins with training. You may or may not be prepared. You may or may not succeed. The former, if taken in careful stride, will come to little consequence. The latter however is in your hands. I can speak with fond memory; training is not a rose garden. You will be taxed and pushed beyond your limits, know that this is for your betterment, your solidity of self-confidence, and for your preparation. So that you can perform to the pride and expectations of Starfleet, and survive in your chosen career..."

(Beginning of Freeman's Essay)
Dearest Future Officers,

You are at a milestone in your careers, and your lives. As a Lieutenant on a Starfleet vessel I can assure you that you will see more in two years in deep space than you probably have in the past ten years of your lives. Amazement and wonder beyond your wildest dreams lie up here in the heavens. If you have made it this far in the process, you are already a great deal along. Some will tell you training will exhaust you, break you down and rebuild you. I don't agree. The Academy training you will undergo will refine you, sharpen you. When you don this uniform you will feel a surge of pride unlike any other. You will feel uplifted more than any words I could ever pen..."

(Excerpt from Ryan's Essay)
But do not let this mislead you. Though at times, life as a Starfleet officer is full of adventure, those moments come in rare bursts. This life is not an adventure holonovel; and if the adventure of holonovel type is your motivation, I suggest you review your place here. Our job requires patience and responsibility. You will have 'downtimes,' moments that are simple routine, that can last from days to even years. Routine consists of reports, duty shifts lasting eight hours each day, and leisure confined to the environment of your post. As the Chief CONN Officer, I take one eight hour shift each day at the CONN. Much of my station is automated, and I'm there merely for a presence to prevent mistakes or malfunctions. Many of my staff will firmly attest that those eight hours can easily become centuries. I also manage my staff outside my regular shift hours. This involves writing performance evaluations, reports and requests for maintenance, figuring shift allocations, and compiling regular records on our ship's course and locations. This does not include my duties as the second officer, or position commonly referred to in Navy jargon as the 'paper jockey.' Note that these quiet routine activities are not looked on as insignificant by Starfleet, and should never be considered such by you either..."

(Excerpt from Freeman's Essay)
"On the USS Griffin, I am the Chief Operations Officer. I handle the basic running of the ship from a department coordination aspect. I work with the XO to make duty rosters, as well as review new crew members. I work in an eight hour shift as you undoubtedly know, and while underway I monitor the primary sensor array. Most of my controls are automated, however I use a more hands on configuration to avoid tedious routine. As well as sensor supervision, duty roster construction, and department coordination, I manage my department as well. Operations covers a good deal of the "paperwork" a starship generates in a day. All interdepartmental requests out of combat are filed through operations. We are also responsible for the ship's official log..."

(Excerpt from Ryan's Essay)
"My off duty time tends to be rather quiet, very similar to my on duty time. I read books, occasionally visit the holodeck, and also pay the occasional social visits. You will undoubtedly become well aquatinted with your fellow crew members, regardless of the size of the ship's compliment..."

(Excerpt from Freeman's Essay)
"As far as my personal life goes, I like and do a variety of things. Before I entered the fleet I was a scholar and scientist, and I enjoy reading and writing. I also enjoy a good social gathering occasionally, and the company of my peers. There are so many different people in the fleet, it's not all that hard to find someone to talk to. After a while you get to know everyone. I have aspirations of finding "the one" someday as well. I can assure you, that the excitement from discovering new things and meeting new people will far outweigh the occasional boredom from a slow duty shift. Life and happiness are what you make of them, and in Starfleet, you have all the ingredients you will ever need. With this little essay, I am attaching my personal mailing address. If you have questions ... write me.

Sincerely, Lieutenant Gordon Freeman, COO - USS Griffin."

(Excerpts from Ryan's Essay)
"Routine and quiet moments tend to be forgotten in the history books, but they are very much a fact and large part of life. However, this is not to down play the significance of those occasional experimental breakthroughs, first contacts, new discoveries, and even those rare hectic moments of Starfleet life. The things that do make the history book, are those things that make the routine of a Starfleet career all worthwhile. Those rare moments are what you push yourself through the academy for; and I can honestly say that they are well worth the wait and hard work. Treasure them, but remember that there is always more to life, and more routine work to return to...

"When all is said and done, I am glad I chose this path. I enjoy the relaxing routine, and can take pride after the exciting moments that I was there to take part in it. I hope you in hindsight can say and feel the same. It's all worthwhile ..."
(End of Excerpts)

Ryan finished her editing session, fixing the last punctuation error. Without a thought of hesitation she sent the essay to Daem. Hopefully, some cadet would find her wisdom or mere words of use.

Freeman smiled, and hit the send option, sending it to the XO. He didn't know if what he said would help, but if it persuaded another brilliant mind to join the fleet, it was a success.


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Chapter 5

{CMO's office}

Jack sat down at his desk with a PADD to begin his letter to the cadets. He leaned back in his chair, and suddenly realized it leaned back. Immediately he sat back upright and started looking around with a keen eye. Everything here, both in his office and sickbay at large, was so pristine and sterile. The colors were soft and muted, meant to make visitors feel calm and comfortable even in their afflictions. And then there was the size of this place, how large it was in comparison...

Memories from his first job, his only job before this assignment, came rushing to his mind. Eight years... he had spent eight years in the Denaubs system, at that embassy. His office there had been the same room as his sickbay. All he had had was that one room. And it wasn't self cleaning. It didn't have the latest technology. It wasn't at all like the comforts of home...

Jack looked back at his PADD and began his letter.


"Dear Academy and Medical Cadets,

The journey to being a Starfleet Medical officer is long and hard. It's always been that way to join any medical profession. But in this day and age, practicing medicine has become half automated. We have scanning machines that tell us everything we might want to know about a patients current condition, computers that can diagnose, and replicators that can create medications. Our sickbays and offices are self-cleaning, meaning sterility isn't a concern.

At some point in your studies, you have probably wondered what there is left for us to do! If you haven't yet, then you probably will after the first few weeks of your first assignment. When you start to secretly hope for something, anything!, to happen just to break the monotony. Of course, you'll immediately feel bad for letting such a thought pass through your head, whether or not you mean it. I'm here to tell you that it's okay. We all have done so. And if you're lucky, you will too. It doesn't mean you're a bad physician, officer, or person. It just means you're bored. After all, most of the mainstream common viruses and diseases can be cured with a hypospray. Broken bones mended quickly and cleanly, and skin re-formed with the pass of a dermal regenerator.

I expect someone to ask, what do I mean by "if you're lucky"? It's pretty simple, speaking as someone who's been on both sides of this job. My first eight years out of school I spent rising ranks and positions in an embassy in the Denaub's system. Yes, that is smack in the middle of a highly hostile sector and there is constant need for medical personnel. But reason they are constantly in need is because the medical staff and their areas are in just as much danger as everyone and every place else there. And the sickbays there aren't more than one room. There's very little help from machines, because there just isn't enough room for them. Plus, any advanced technology becomes a security risk, as it's a commodity for every faction looking to make some money or needing medical help of their own. Places such as these are why we have to work so hard and learn so much. It's completely possible, thought very improbable, that you might find yourself suddenly thrown into such situations, and you have to know your stuff if you're going to help your crew and yourself survive. It's also places such as these that will make you wish for the main stream of Starfleet Medical, where you can stop once in a while to think, possibly even to rest, even if just for a minute.

And now I'm working on a top of the line starship. Despite being part of Starfleet Special Operations, we're still mainly on peaceful missions. Excitement of the medical pretty much only happens when the ship is suddenly besieged by powerfully advanced unknown aliens, a new unknown virus causes a breakout amongst the crew, or the Captain is kidnapped and replaced with a double in a unknown power struggle in a local planet's government. And how often do these unknown things actually occur? Rarely, at most. But even though most of my time here is "down time", I know I am lucky to be here as I have first hand experience in comparison. It's not because this job is safer, or that I'm more interested in researching than practicing medicine. It's because here I actually can practice medicine, instead of constantly only being able to fix people up "well enough".

I hope I've been able to give you a decent enough picture of your options when you graduate to help you make your decision on where you want to go. Every place will have it's downsides and it's upsides. At the embassy I was able to help very many people, but it can make a person very weary or jaded. Here I may get bored, but I have many opportunities to explore or further medicine. I advise you to assess your own personality and desires and make them a factor in which direction you decide to take your medical career. And remember that every job has its potential, you just have to find it.

Sincerely,
Lt. Jack L. Stone
CMO, USS Griffin"


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Chapter 6

Jaquelle walked into her quarters and immediately to the replicator.

"Apple cider, hot, with cinnamon stick."

She had set aside this time to write her "day in the week." She was unsure if she should write about her life as the ship's counselor, or her life as First Officer. As the brew appeared:

"Computer any messages?"

"You have 219 messages" returned the cold even voice of the computer.

Jaquelle gave an incredulous look into thin air.

"Beg, pardon, Computer, I have how many messages?"

"219," was all it replied.

"How is it that I have 219 messages since yesterday?" she asked.

"You now have 221, 219 of which are addressed to the Executive Officer of the USS Griffin," the computer replied.

At that moment it dawned on her, Starfleet cadets. They can be prolific and inquisitive. They must have already received the first writings from the crew.

"Computer, can you catalog the messages in any way?"

"Yes," came the voice. "I can catalog as to time increments received, as to topic, as to crew member, as to..."

"Computer," Jaquelle interrupted. "Please catalog as to crew member."

"There are 87 messages for Lt. Commander Travin. There are 46 Messages for Dr. Stone. There are 45 messages for Lt. Commander Sable. There are 41 messages for Lt. Freeman. There are 2 messages specifically address to you," the computer listed.

"My, my," Jaquelle stated. 87 messages for Commander Travin. What are some of the most asked questions in Commander Travin's messages?" Jaquelle inquired.

"Your bio lists that you are Betazoid. That must be a plus in negotiations, investigations and sensing motives during combat. How often do you use that ability? Others ask if it is true that she is Betazoid, since she did not mention how that helped. Some asked if her Klingon training is a help.

"Computer, stop. What is the most asked question to all of the staff?" she asked.

"What do you do with staff under your supervision whom you believe are not functioning up to expectations?" the computer continued.

"Computer, forward each crew member's message to them," Jaquelle ordered.

"Computer," she called out again, "start cadet letter." Jaquelle was at ease with writing and using the computer. She decided that First Officer was where she should start.

Dear Cadets:

I suspect that you are expecting an experienced Executive Officer to be dispensing some words of wisdom to you combining months, or years, of "weeks" to form what a normal week as First Officer entails. I plan to give you a little different view. You see I have been a First Officer for only a week. Let me tell you what I have learned.

What I have experienced in that week is to not be afraid to dream big. Any one of you could be an Executive Office no matter what path you are currently on. This past year I have gone from ship's counselor to Second Officer to Executive Officer. The year before that I was a Lt. JG and a doctor, with a dream. So what you need to do most is be prepared. Not just for what may come, but to execute your duties when you get there. My responsibility as First Officer is to the entire crew.

You don't have to know how to do every job on the ship, but you do need to know who on your ship can do each job. So I spend time reviewing personnel files and talking to people. During the week the Captain will call on you for information and advice concerning the crew. When there is a crisis, you need to know who has an expertise in an area to help. Learn to know and trust your senior staff.

Being First Officer also means that you are literally a heart beat away from being commander of a Starship. Sometimes it is during your bridge shift. Sometimes it is during an emergency. During my "week" it was both. If you have time, listen to the advise of the senior staff or those who have special expertise. When you are unsure, as you will often be (there are no text book answers out here), always remember that what the crew wants from you is a decision. And don't tell Starfleet, but do not discount that small feeling in your gut of what is right, and do it.

Now for those of you who want that "what a week is like for a First Officer," attached you will find the entire account of my first week, my only week as First Officer. Hold on, it was an exciting ride.

"Computer, end letter with my name and rank and send."


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Chapter 7

{Personal Quarters}

Sable sat musing at her desk, glancing at the long list of messages. She had received forty-five messages. Quite a total she did not expect, and had at first felt slightly put-out; duty was calling. But the feeling was momentary; she could not have counted the seconds on her hand, so short-lived was the moment. Her predominant feeling was one of surprise. She had not expected so many messages from the cadets, nor so soon. With a slight tilt to her head, she opened the first message; intent on reading every message to the letter and answering them thoroughly.

(Excerpts of Questions and Answers)
Q: I don't want to be a computer's correction tool. I would have gone into Engineering if that was the case. From what you've said, I don't understand, what's the point of becoming a CONN officer if that's how things are?

A: "You were recommended for the CONN by your recruiter no doubt, due to your tests and pre-entry qualifications. In short, you have the minimum skills necessary to fly a ship (which will ultimately be refined through the academy and your career). This is the most likely reason that you are in flight training. However, flying a ship is not merely manipulating a joist stick as in several holodeck simulator games. It requires a great deal of mathematical knowledge as well as engineering. On a quiet day you could perform a number of tasks from monitoring the computer, running course calculations, to assisting engineering with routine or medium maintenance. On a rare moment, you will be required to use your impressive flight skills to maneuver the ship from danger or in battle. But these can be quite rare...

"I was originally an engineering officer. I graduated from the academy as such. I can safely assure you, that engineering is fully capable of doldrums as well. Though from the sound of if you would enjoy engineering more, as they usually find something to keep busy. You can also work as an engineering officer and liaison, so to speak, to the helm, as I did for a few years on the Enterprise-E before becoming a permanent CONN officer...

"Regardless, the CONN is a very important function of the ship, and though we are technically advanced, the helm cannot operate on it's own. Helm officers are a key staff on any ship. In exaggeration, without them, the ships would remain stationary and useless to exploration."

Q: Wait a minute, despite all that other stuff, aren't you a CONN officer? Don't you FLY the SHIP? I can't even imagine how amazing that must be! How is it different from flying a shuttle? Is it harder? I've been trying to think of how the sheer size and bulk of a starship would change flying techniques, but there's just no practical way to find out back here.

A: "It is true, the mass and dimensions of a starship verses a shuttle will require a modification to your flying techniques. However, it is rare that I fly a shuttle on the Griffin, as transporters are the preferred method of travel from the ship. In retrospect, I believe I have had only three separate opportunities to fly a Griffin shuttle...

"From your description it sounds as though you are in the preliminaries of your helm training. Further into that instruction you will be instructed concerning the differences between craft and their capabilities in flight. You will also be allowed to 'experience' these differences in simulators...

"As a personal note, I must agree, flying the Griffin is a great 'adventure' for me, despite the doldrums..."

Q: You can't expect me to believe that as CHIEF CONN all you do is sit around on boring shifts, punctuated by the scarce battle or surprise excitement. Don't you and your staff fly the shuttles as well when an experienced pilot, or any pilot for that matter, is needed? Do you get taken on away missions at all? And if not, can you please let me know what your skills within Starfleet are so I know what I need to expand on to make myself more valuable a resource than just a "mere" CONN officer.

"It is true, that when required the CONN staff pilot the Griffin's shuttles. However, due to the common use of transporters, shuttles are rarely used. It is quite common that I am assigned to away missions that do not require my piloting skills; and have also had command of the bridge on a few occasions. However, this is due to my rank and status as a member of the senior staff...

"It is also true, that I do not always find myself at the CONN on a 'boring' shift. Further into your instruction at the academy you will take a few light engineering courses. This is to ensure that you understand the operation of the ship and also give you tools to perform light maintenance. During a shift I my assist engineering with helm related maintenance, or help engineering test improvements to our systems...

"I myself do not find my shifts at CONN boring. However, I have over heard a few helm officers commenting on such. I believe it depends on your personal disposition. Some find the adrenaline rush of battle and surprises the sole reward for flying. Others, as myself, find the reward in every aspect of our jobs, from flying to regular maintenance and monitoring...

"To either end, I would not venture to call a CONN officer, nor his/her job, 'mere...'"


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Chapter 8

{Griffin -Travin's Quarters}

Rinali circled the room one last time before sitting down on the bed. She had asked the computer to catalog the cadets' questions in every way possible, but nothing eliminated those most difficult ones. Rinali knew that she would have to answer them before she could do anything else.

She did not believe that she had intentionally left out her Betazoid heritage. The assignment had been to talk about her position and her work during a typical week. That particular factor never came up during the average week. It hadn't even crossed her mind as she wrote. Her time in Starfleet had made her forget a little how often that point came up when she was at the Academy.

Rinali lay down. As long as she was going to be tackling something this difficult, she might as well be physically comfortable. She gave herself a few brief minutes to relax. The hardest part came first; everything would be easy after that.

"Computer, begin Reply to Cadets - Draft One. Copy in final version of Cadet Question Order and read question one."

The computer sounded its acknowledgement and Rinali dove into her response to the first question.


"Q: Your bio lists you as a Betazoid. I looked over your letter and I couldn't find anything where you used your Betazoid powers or said anything about them. Are you really a Betazoid, or did Starfleet screw up?"

"A: Yes, I am Betazoid by birth. You will find that Starfleet is quite meticulous about its record keeping. If that had been a mistake, it would have been corrected by now. I did not mention my Betazoid heritage because I did not consider it relevant to my typical week."

That was not the full story, of course. Surely telling the cadets everything would be overkill. But was this saying too little? Rinali decided to let it go for now. Maybe the next question would encourage her to fill in a little more.

"Computer, read question two."

"Q: Your bio lists that you are Betazoid. That must be a plus in negotiations, investigations and sensing motives during combat. How often do you use that ability?

"A: I very seldom use my Betazoid abilities in my work or in my private life. When I do use them, it is more like an involuntary reflex than a conscious choice. They inform me of something in another person's emotions that it vastly different than what it should be. I can also sense my opponents general intentions and state of mind during a fight. This is not the case with most Betazoids. I have undertaken mental training to control and suppress my abilities. They were more of a hindrance than a gift to me."

It was still rather vague, but by now Rinali had decided that was all right. Let the cadets check her bio again and piece it together for themselves if they were that interested.

"Computer, read question three."

"Q: You mention that you have extensive Klingon training. Does that help you with your day to day work? Do you feel it taught you things you wouldn't have learned from Starfleet Academy?

"A: My Klingon training is one of the greatest single assets I have as chief of security. I feel that I use it in some form every day. I do not often find myself in physical combat. But I exercise every day using techniques I learned from Klingon training. It also helps me to keep focused on both the task at hand and larger goals. It both keeps me confident and encourages me to constantly strive to improve myself.

"I did not begin my warrior training with the idea that I would be supplementing my eventual Starfleet Academy education or even entering the field of security someday. I had experienced a situation in my youth where my lack of physical abilities rendered me powerless and my natural abilities only served to make matters worse. I entered into training with Klingons so that I would be able to handle myself during a crisis in the future. My decision to pursue a Starfleet career in security made my training all the more important. I knew that as a Betazoid, I would be expected to become a counselor or diplomat since my natural abilities lent themselves to those positions. Nothing that was inherent to my species would aid me or make anyone believe I was suited for that kind of work. My Klingon training helped me to succeed and to prove myself to others. Not all of you should necessarily be trained as Klingon warriors, but if you wish to succeed in Starfleet, you must take initiative with your studies in order to excel."

Rinali had the computer read everything back to her. It felt honest without getting into too much personal detail. Rewrites might be necessary, but the hurdle had been crossed.

Rinali got up and headed to the door. The rest of the questions would not take long. For now, it was time to head to the lounge for a well deserved break.


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Chapter 9

"What do you do with staff under your supervision whom you believe are not functioning up to expectations?"

Priscilla read the question again, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. That was not what she expected to be the most asked question amongst her 65 replies. But it was a very good one!

She quickly wrote out the answer:

"There are a series of steps I take when dealing with such a situation. I've discovered since becoming a Captain that what I used to do as Executive Officer is no longer appropriate. A Captain must be a leader foremost, not everyone's best friend. I'm still re-learning the best way to deal with the situation, but here's my process currently. The first step is encouragement - letting the person in question know that I trust and value their skills - and making sure the person is aware of my expectations. The next is to make my Executive Officer aware of the situation, if she is not already, as personnel is technically her job, not mine. Following this, I keep an eye out for improvement or deterioration, and personally warn the individual if there are not results. The thing I find hardest to avoid is becoming personally involved with the problem that is causing the individual to come up shy in their duties, which is why I get my XO involved as early as possible. My crew is very important to me, they are family. And though it's getting easier with time to maintain the professional detachment a Captain must, it's coming very slowly to me. I mostly now worry in private, and place my faith in my XO to see that the individual receives the help needed. Whether that's visiting the Counselor, receiving additional training, or whatnot. I know I can trust that things will be handled at least as well as when I was an XO."

Priscilla nodded slightly as she completed that, and moved onto the next most common question, which took her very much by surprise.

"Your Starfleet record mentions with some detail the bond between yourself and your twin sister. Doesn't that bond create a violation of what could be termed 'Captain's confidentiality' with Starfleet Command?"

Not quite sure how to respond, she skipped to the next question, and was even more shocked.

"Your sister's Starfleet record states she left Starfleet not quite three years after graduating from the Academy, and was an intelligence mercenary for well over ten years. How is the bond between you and your twin sister not viewed as a security risk?"

Priscilla sat. For a long while she thought on how she was going to reply to these questions. One wrong word, and she could have a potentially serious problem on her hands. The option of no reply was quickly ousted from her list of options, the cadets needed to know the way of life they were choosing was not being undermined.

She tried to choose her words carefully, despite knowing she'd be going through several drafts of this response before sending it.

"The bond my sister and I share does not link us across great distances, she and I do not have a constant access to each other. In anticipation of your next thought, yes when we are reunited we could access all of what occurred with the other during our absence. However, we are not as open with everything in each other's minds as other Betazoids are. And respect is valued very highly by both of us. Neither has or would force ourselves into the other's memories, and we clearly flag to each other what information is off limits to the other. Plus, our childhood Vulcan lessons trained us in how to ignore the other when desired. So even when we are in contact, privacy is maintained when needed."

She paused in her writing, wondering if she needed to add more, or if that was sufficient enough a reply. Should she mention the tests that occurred while they were in the Academy? Most were the same that every cadet goes through, but they were just as telling about Victoria's and Priscilla's bond as they were about what they were actually testing for. Should she mention all Starfleet learned in the years of observation afterwards that led them to trust her and Victoria, despite Victoria's decision to leave because she couldn't live within all the rules and regulations? Hmm, maybe not that last part.

Priscilla looked back at the PADD with her reply message, and started in on her second draft of the reply.


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Chapter 10

Anna called to the computer:

"Letter to cadets."

'Finally,' she thought, 'I can write my letter.' She actually looked forward to tackling the project. She remembered how she had read every letter from each member of the senior crew the year she was cadet. She did not care if they were from a different discipline then she was studying. She carefully took in every word of each letter and then wrote letters back, to all of them. Now it was her chance and she could hardly wait.

"Dear Cadets:

Being Chief Science officer for a starship is an enormous responsibility. Between each nanosecond it is up to you and your staff to monitor the space around the ship, as well as any scientific happening inside the ship. One can never be sure when a problem concerning the ship could be attributed to an atom of space dust that passed by a million kilometers ago. Or when Starfleet might want an updated star chart of a singularity that recently occurred in a sector of space that you passed several days ago. The need for scientific information on the internal workings of the ship is constant. So here is what a normal week of a Chief Science Officer is like.

First thing in the morning before you even change into your uniform you will want to take a quick look at the operation of the ship. It is best to provide remote access to basic functions into your cabin so that you can quickly be sure all is fine. Once you get to the science office you will take a more detailed look.

Since as Chief Science Officer you have bridge duty during one of the main shifts, be sure you awake early to get all your preliminary work done. Once on the main bridge you will want to constantly search for an anomalies that may effect the ship. While doing this you can also review in depth all the readings from the overnight shift. You will find that there is a lot happening while on the bridge, always try to keep your mind focus to the task at hand.

After bridge duty you must meet with your staff and thoroughly review with them the scientific lab that each is responsible..."

Anna continued for a long period of time documenting her entire week, moment by moment until she was almost startled by the intrusion of the page from the computer.

"Lt. Krasinski," the voice of Lt. Freeman came through the Comm. "Have you taken the holodecks off line for some testing?"

Anna quickly scanned the ships alert readings afraid she had been in such deep thought about her writing that she had missed a malfunction on board, while trying to answer the question.

"...a, a..No," she finally blurted out. "I show that they are all on line. Two are actually working at this point in time." Of the others, Holodeck one was in use one hour and ten minutes ago, having been working for two hours. Holodeck four was last in use one hour and 30 minutes ago having worked for..."

"Two may be working but none seem to be accessible to the outside world." Freeman knew he had to interrupt or Krasinski would give him the logs of all the holodecks for the last month.

Anna tried to access controls to one of the holodecks currently not being used. She could not. She then tried to access one of the working holodecks. She could not do that either.

"I can't access them either," Anna commented. "Are there any crew members in either one?"

"Affirmative," Freeman responded. "Lt. Commander Travin has a standard training session every day in deck two. That is how I knew something was wrong. She is extremely punctual as to when she starts and stops. When she had not logged out of the deck I began to wonder. Lt. Commander Sable is in the other deck. I do not know what she is doing. I can't seem to access any interior information and the communication system is also not working."

Anna kept trying to access internal information from any of the holodecks, but could not. There was only one bit of information she could retrieve.

"Lieutenant," Anna said, "the internal safe guards are also not accessible. The decks could be normal or operating at any temperature, any climate or could even be lethal. I think McInnis needs to be brought in on this one."


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