Ensign Meris - Of Dairy and Discipline

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(( Captain’s Ready Room – Deck 1, USS Artemis-A ))

 

Meris watched as MacKenzie furrowed her brow and picked up the data PADD. The Captain seemed nearly allergic to it, grimacing and holding the device like one might hold a sodden pair of undergarments. The J'naii shifted from one foot to the other.

 

oO Perhaps I should have transferred the data to a new device and... Oo ::thoughts interrupted::

 

MacKenzie: What is this?

 

Again, the J'naii shifted from one foot to the other.

 

Meris: My orders, your h-... Captain.

 

The Captain's composure seemed to slip, and Meris watched her lips curl as she spoke.

 

MacKenzie: It’s. Sticky.

 

Meris: That would be the gelato. Did you know there's a gelato vendor on Starbase 224's third promenade? I'd never had gelato before...

 

Meris thought their mouth might be getting the better of them. Of course the Captain had had gelato before. Of course she knew there was a gelato vendor on the starbase's third promenade. Meris was the newcomer, not the Captain, they reminded themself — but that didn’t stop them from continuing to talk.

 

Meris: The vendor has over 32 flavors of gelato. I especially liked the Tubor Root and Salt Grass variant. You could really taste the tubor’s and, according to the vendor, that makes all the difference...

 

The Helmsperson watched as the Captain’s eyes narrowed. This wasn’t going well. Did Meris know any more facts about gelato that might satiate the Captain? The PADD clattered to the desk as the Captain dropped it and began wiping her hands on her uniform pants.

 

oO Oh, what do you know. The Captain does that too. Oo

 

MacKenzie: This is disgusting.

 

Meris blanched. This was definitely not going well.

 

Meris: I-I-I’m sorry, ma’am. I’d never had gelato before. I didn’t realize how messy it could get...

 

The Captain sat back in her chair with a look of exasperation on her face.

 

MacKenzie: ...And the thought hadn’t occurred to you to transfer it to a new device before you brought it here?

 

Meris: Yes, ma’am, it did.

 

MacKenzie: Response.

 

Meris held their hands out to explain.

 

Meris: There’s this professor at the Academy. Commander Veris. Vulcan. He’s a real... ::narrowing their eyes and bobbing their head up and down:: ...stickler for punctuality, if you know what I mean.

 

MacKenzie: Response.

 

Meris: Anyway, I don’t have the best track record for being very timely. Veris used to tell me that timeliness is a reflection of discipline, and that circumstantial adversity does not excuse tardiness. He said that arriving punctually, even under suboptimal conditions, demonstrates control and preparedness, ma’am. To be late, despite ideal conditions, reflects a failure in prioritization.

 

MacKenzie: Response.

 

Meris: I wanted to be controlled and prepared ... for you, ma'am.

 

The J’naii then lowered their arms to their sides again. She had no further defense to offer.

 

MacKenzie: Response.

 

Tag, and TBC!

 

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Ensign Meris

Helm Officer

USS Artemis-A

A240207M14