Captain Addison MacKenzie - Not Quite a Full Mess
Addison MacKenzie
(( Captain’s Ready Room – Deck 1, Artemis-A ))
With the initial inquiry of their newest helmsman out of the way, the commanding
officer of the Artemis felt the need to bring up a topic they were both
intimately familiar with – the ensign’s graduating class at the Academy. Rather,
the failure of many graduates because of their performance. It was, in fact, the
only time in years of proctoring final exams that the captain felt the need to
stop the simulation before it had been brought to its natural conclusion.
She clasped her hands and brought them to rest on the desk’s cool surface.
MacKenzie: Your academy class was a memorable one.
Lyara: Thank you sir.
Addison closed her eyes and quickly shook her head.
MacKenzie: That was not a compliment. Your class was a mess.
Lyara: ::She nodded at what she said:: Yeah… I remember a lot from that
class.
MacKenzie leaned forward.
MacKenzie: What did you learn from that class? Clearly
enough to pass, obviously, but I’m not interested in the information you
gleaned from working with your colleagues more than anything else, because if
there’s one thing I don’t tolerate on this ship, it’s mess.
And that was the truth.
The ensign nodded, appearing to understand what MacKenzie was getting at.
Lyara: If I’m being honest, that class was… ::She searched for the right
words:: well a mess. There are a lot of other words I would have used. But I
agree it was a mess.
MacKenzie: Well, at least we agree – but the questions was what did you learn?
Lyara: What I did learn from that experience was the importance of a
clear head.
MacKenzie: And so now that you’ve had time away from that exam and, presumably,
a clearer head, what are your takeaways?
Lyara: The ship was almost a mess when those
birds-of-prey decloaked, and it felt so real like they were going to kill us.
We all jumped to different ideas until Commander Promontory helped us clear our
minds. ::She thought for a moment:: And once we all had a chance to make our
own estimations we were able to formulate a proper plan. At least until one of
the other cadets suggested we blow up the ship.
The ensign relaxed for a moment before resuming her straighter posture and
carrying on.
Lyara: But, all in all, after the exam ended I felt really good. We may
have lost the ship if we kept going, but I don’t think that was the point. The
point was we were thinking like Starfleet officers and when we faced an
uncertain situation we pulled ourselves together and worked on a solution. I
can’t speak for all cadets, but, I learned what it meant to keep it together
under pressure and work with others.
Addison nodded slowly.
MacKenzie: Well it sounds like you’re in the right frame of mind,
especially after reflecting on the experience. You wouldn’t have passed if we
didn’t think you were capable.
Lyara: Response
She nodded definitively.
MacKenzie: Have you received your room assignment?
Lyara: Response
Addison’s face softened a bit, and she nodded once, curtly.
MacKenzie: Then welcome aboard, Ensign. Dismissed.
She watched as Lyara made her way out the door and onto the bridge. When the doors
swished closed behind her, Addison turned to look out the large viewport behind
her, shaking her head slightly to herself. That class had been a mess,
but they didn’t fail all of the cadets in that class… And perhaps that
would work to their advantage.
Tag, and End Scene for MacKenzie!
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Captain Addison MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A
Captains Council Member at Large
V239601AM0