Lt Alex Storm - Confidence or Bravado?

[Karen Morris]

(( Turbolift / Corridor – Deck 3, USS Artemis-A ))

Alex stood straight in the turbolift as it carried her to deck three.  She held the PADD in both hands perusing the information that she could get on LtJg Vhysa’lia’s prior phaser training.  Whoever had proctored that exam didn’t do a good job inputting all of the information.  While there were scores, these reports usually gave a myriad of other statistics, range to target, level of target, number of shots before the target was hit, and the list could go on. 

When Alex conducted these recerts, she usually based much of her review on where the officer had been weak last time in the hopes of helping them improve significantly.  But if she had only raw scores to go on, she had no idea where to even start.

With a little wag of her head, she exited the turbolift onto deck three.  She checked out the JayGee’s picture while she sauntered down the corridor.  She slowed for a step or two she registered a Kobali picture.  She didn’t mind that there was a Kobali on board, but that wasn’t a species often seen around a starship.  But Alex also knew that since Vhysa’lia was Kobali, she wouldn’t even get any sense of her emotions.  

(( Holodeck 3 – Deck 3, USS Artemis-A ))

As the door to Holodeck 3 opened, and she stepped inside, Alex thought that might be a welcomed respite from having to block things out because of the excessive noise at times.  Alex stepped just inside the door.  Making sure that the JayGee was actually the person she was supposed to meet, she said… 

Storm: Lieutenant ::Hoping she got the pronunciation correct.:: Vhysa’lia?

Vhysa’lia: Oh, it’s wonderful to meet you face to face, Lieutenant! Communicating over PADD messages to schedule this just isn’t the same. ::holding out hand for a handshake:: Provisional Lieutenant Junior Grade Vhysa’lia, here for my phaser training.

With a nod and a friendly smile, Alex walked over and took the offered hand giving it a firm - but not ‘I want to prove to you how strong I am’ handshake::. 

Storm:  It’s nice to meet you too, Lieutenant. ::Alex tucked the PADD under her left arm::  I’m glad you contacted me about helping with your recert.  It’s nice to get to meet new crew in a … I’d usually say a less formal situation, but this is formal enough.  I guess I’d say a situation where we both have a purpose, so it feels less awkward.  Anyway, have you had any phaser training between your last certification and this one?

Vhysa’lia: I’ve had a bit… but it seems that the Starfleet systems would rather that I brush up on my skills anyways, at least to get it into their records that I won’t be completely useless on any away teams that I might find myself assigned to.

Alex gave a grin at her self deprecating statement.  She understood the sentiment - and usually what it conveyed.  Even with species that Betazoids can’t directly read, it was interesting how the loss of that one sense, made other observational senses more keen.

Storm:  I’m sure you won’t be useless on any away team missions, but I do hope you won’t need to use a phaser on missions often.  That would likely mean that I hadn’t done my job well …

Vhysa’lia:  Response.

Storm: I know you weren’t.  But let’s be honest, how many away team missions go according to plan?

Vhysa’lia: Response.

Storm:  ::Gesturing with the PADD she had removed from under her arm.:: Exactly!   At least not the ones that I’ve been on.  

Alex, tapped a few virtual keys and pulled up the Lieutenant’s latest recert stats.  

Storm:  So I was going over your last certification. ::Points to the info from her last cert on the PADD.::   It doesn’t have a lot of information other than straight scores.  I can usually garner a good starting place from the things that it’s not telling me, so why don’t we start with some easy drills and we can go from there.  How’s that sound?

Even if there had been other information, sometimes letting the person she was working with start on something easy, it built up their confidence. And while Alex thought that Vhysa'lia seemed confident, she couldn't be sure if that was really confidence or bravado since she couldn't even sense the doctor's emotions at all.

Vhysa’lia:  Response.

~*~

Tags / TBC

~*~

Lt Alex Storm

Tactical Officer

USS Artemis

O240103SK2