LtCmdr Jovenan – Stirred, not shaken. Leave in the spoon.
Jovenan
((Elysium, Deck 6, USS Artemis))
K’Wara: So instead of Chief Vailani, the picture of professionalism and duty herself, you get me? Sounds like you got swindled somethin’ fierce there. Is that why we’re heading to Ferenginar? To chase down the charlatan responsible?
Jovenan bit her lip to prevent herself from smiling too visibly. The years spent with offworlders – not least with Vitor and some of the former crewmates – had taught her to recognise cheekiness in others and respond with the kind. Although Lt K’Wara was a relatively new acquaintance to her, she now saw them as they were, a brazen but amiable jokester. One that had just tripped close to something they probably didn’t want to do in public.
Jovenan: You could say so. But you shouldn’t.
Munro: :: mischievously :: Are you calling Fleet Captain MacKenzie a charlatan, Tamio?
Commander Munro started walking away from the centre of the room, where they had handed out the ribbons and promotions to the others. Gestured by the Acting Captain – the First Officer, as soon as they’d pick up the Captain back on board – Jovenan followed her with the new Chief of Operations through the crowd of other officers mingling.
K’Wara: Oh no, I’d never call her that. I value my mortal life too much for that. ::smiles and turns serious:: But thank you, really. I won't let any of you down.
Munro: We know you won’t.
Jovenan nodded deep as she walked alongside Lt K’Wara. Even with just a single mission behind with them, she had noticed some good leadership abilities in them. Besides, their service records showed that they weren’t taking on a completely unfamiliar job for themselves.
K’Wara: Now now, Ava, if you have lofty expectations, I have nothing to surpass with dramatic flair. ::mock melancholy:: And here I thought I’d played the layabout well enough to fool you…
Jovenan: Have you yet had the opportunity to meet all of your colleagues in the Operations, and the other department heads?
K’Wara: I’ve met the majority of the Ops department, though I wouldn’t call us fast friends yet. As for department heads... ::counts on fingers:: I think I’m just missing our elusive Chief of Tactical for our fellow chief staff.
A bit of a smirk flashed on Jovenan’s face at the mention of Vitor. “Elusive” wasn’t an attribute she would have associated with him, although she had sadly not spent as much time with him since taking up additional duties. For a brief moment, she considered introducing the two right now, but the Lieutenant’s cheekiness had apparently rubbed on her, as she wanted to hear whatever else Lt K’Wara or Commander Munro might say of him – after all, she and Vitor weren’t more than crewmates in the newcomers’ eyes.
Meanwhile, they reached the bar, and Commander Munro made an order to the bartender.
Munro: Whisky neat.
K’Wara: Whisky on the rocks for me, please. ::jesting tone at Ava:: Ah, alas, this is how our friendship dies.
Jovenan: And you, Commander? Was the mission enough for you to familiarise yourself with the crew?
The Commander took longer to think for an answer than Jovenan had expected. She supposed the new-ish leader wanted to give her a professional answer while being potentially overheard by the said crew. If so, it was a fair point to consider one’s answer for a moment, although she would have also accepted a response that reflected more on her personal relations instead.
Munro: Enough to know that I can rely on them. They’ve really proven themselves to be a fine crew. Anything us newbies should know, Jovenan?
K’Wara: I’d like to know where the undisclosed gambling ring is that seems to crop up on every Ship and every Ensign thinks the senior staff doesn’t know about.
Jovenan: Gambling? I, uh… umm, if it exists, it must have started after I was promoted.
Luckily for the somewhat flabbergasted Jovenan, the bartender returned with the two servings of drinks and placed them in front of the officers who ordered the respective types of whiskey. While Commander Munro sipped hers and Lt K’Wara swirled theirs, Jovenan raised her finger for the bander’s attention.
Jovenan: May I also have hot chocolate? Extra sweet, please.
Munro: :: playful :: No scandalous gossip?
Another question Jovenan wasn’t sure how to react to. They’re just being cheeky, it’s okay, just respond with the kind. That said, she didn’t think “no” was much of an answer, but she also lacked any rumours or gossips to spread. Richards’ pregnancy was hardly a secret any more now that her children had been born, and besides, she was not at liberty to tell others about the crew’s personal matters. What else she could gossip about, something that didn’t intervene with other’s privacy?
Jovenan: Uh… Did you know that two senior crewmembers started dating after he fell for her alternate universe counterpart first?
… Please don’t ask more.
K’Wara: That does sound unique, at least.
Once again, Jovenan was saved by an appearance of another member of the crew. This time it was a yeoman carrying what appeared to be a canine of small stature. Pets or other animals (except for their crewmates and guests) were rarely seen in Elysium, but seeing that the yeoman was heading straight towards them and Commander Munro was looking at them equally straight, Jovenan could guess there was a relation.
Munro: I have someone important for you both to meet.
The dog became excited upon seeing their owner/family member. The yeoman handed them to Commander Munro.
Munro: Thanks, Daron. I hope you found it educational?
Yeoman Daron: I’ve never met a doog before. Thank you for letting me borrow Suzie for my study :: to Tamio and Jovenan :: I’m conducting research on the therapeutic benefits of domestic animals on starships. Thanks again, Commander.
K’Wara: A well-documented field of study in human history, but less so in the sterile era of space travel. ::winks:: Good luck with that.
Jovenan: Good luck. ::to Suzie:: Hello Suzie. Nice to meet you.
The Yeoman left them, and Commander Munro presented the small dog to them. Lt K’Wara even reached out to scratch Suzie behind its ear. The bartender returned with Jovenan’s order of drink, and she thanked them before leaving it out to cool a little and returning her attention to Suzie.
K’Wara: My mother never forgave my dad for refusing his allergy shots. ::whispers:: Between you and me, Suzie, I think he just didn’t want the extra cleaning load.
Jovenan: ::chuckle:: I don’t have much experience with pets. A former XO of ours had a dog as well, quite a lot larger than Suzie. I had the honour of taking him to the vet with Genkos – Commander Adea – once, even debating with the vet if a starship was a suitable place for an animal.
She chose to leave out the part where Toto had been locked in a bathroom by Genkos’ alternate universe counterpart for – what it was, a day? Her judgement told her that their new pet-owning XO didn’t need to know that. A story about their then-CMO being trapped into a closet would have been much nicer without the suffering of a poor pet.
Munro: Response
Lt K’Wara had a sip of their whiskey, and Jovenan too raised her mug to her lips.
K’Wara: Well, as far as first impressions go, the Artemis and her crew seem a lot more... Well, more than I’d anticipated. There seems to be an unprecedented concentration of workaholics gathered on a single Ship.
Turned out it was a bad moment to try and drink. Jovenan had to cover her mouth and nose so that the hot chocolate didn’t come back out from either directions. Recovering, she swallowed what she had and lowered the mug on the table.
Jovenan: Oh. ::laugh:: I guess that is a fair assessment, but we’ve also been worse in the past.
Munro: Response
K’Wara: Oh, I bet. I just hope they don’t let loose too much - Ferenginar isn’t exactly a vacation spot for the weak of heart, or pursestrings.
Jovenan: Fair. Even Risa was far too outrageous to some of our senior crewmembers. They wouldn’t have left the ship once if the Captain hadn’t held the awards ceremony on the beach.
She tactically left out the part that she, too, hadn’t beamed down to the planet until the ceremony. At this point, she was realising the difference in the energy she had with her two companions and was trying her best to fit in with them. She had another sip of her hot chocolate.
Munro/K’Wara: Response
Jovenan: Gambling isn’t my thing, but I might try out shopping with actual money. You don’t get to experience that in too many places, and it’s not like I’d use latinum elsewhere.
It was the experience rather than the things to buy that had caught her imagination. To her, the whole concept of keeping track of one’s wealth and expenses was fascinating. Nothing beats good resource management, after all.
Munro/K’Wara: Response
Jovenan: Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. Have you been to Ferenginar before?
Munro/K’Wara: Response
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Lieutenant Commander Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11