Lieutenant Zi Nijal: Know yourself

[Tony Colella]

(( 8-Forward, USS Octavia E. Butler ))

Zi hadn't expected to speak much about her childhood at all, though in retrospect she understood that the counselor of course would have been implicitly asking about anything that gave her adult life its structure and shape.

Nijal: They wanted something better for me. Cardassian Prime, and the whole Cardassian Union, is still recovering after the war, and (beat) that's going to go on for generations. And we've been a military people for so long, something like the war and the scale of disasters it brought was inevitable. They taught me that, too. They wanted something better for me, even if what they wanted wasn't yet something that many Cardassians were willing to consider.

Stendhal: I have a question for you, given your aspiration to become a captain. What if Cardassia offered you the position of leading a Cardassian vessel as a captain, or perhaps a Gul? How does the title 'Gul Nijal' sound to you?

Zi's immediate response was disgust. No, stronger, revulsion. She even scooched backward before she caught herself, and after a moment, followed with a slight laugh.

Nijal: Not good. (beat) I never wanted to be in the military. And if I didn't want to do it all myself, start with my own ship and probably nothing more than transport work, that was really the only option for working in space. Not that it had to be in space, but there was never (gesturing around) this.

Nothing on Cardassia Prime was at all like the Federation Starfleet, that was for sure.

Stendhal: I apologize, but I believe we've strayed a bit off topic. Shall we finish the Mission Specialist questionnaire? I have the engineering questionnaire ready as well, but a diplomacy questionnaire would require some preparation on my part. It's not quite finished yet.

Nijal: Oh, that's fine. (with a smile) I know plenty about being an engineer and why I enjoy that work. I want to know the same for my current role.

Stendhal: Well we're doing good, just after halfway I would say. Two more sections left, plus the extra one. Easy Peasy!

Nijal: Very good.

Not that she wasn't enjoying her time with Karen -- she hoped that she'd made a new friend, or at least a friendly acquaintance, even if it felt like she was getting more out of this meeting than Karen was -- but she was eager to continue, and see what else the questionnaire would ask.

Stendhal: (holding her PADD) Whenever you're ready. 

Zi received the next sheet, and as with the previous parts, she read it through before she began to write down some of her thoughts. Her handwriting was improving quickly, she thought.

Section 4: Cognitive Abilities

Problem-Solving: How do you approach problem-solving? Do you prefer a logical or intuitive approach?

Decision-Making: How do you make decisions? Do you weigh the pros and cons carefully, or do you rely on your gut instincts?

Adaptability: How adaptable are you to new situations and challenges? Can you quickly adjust your plans when things don't go as expected?

Zi worked for several minutes, and in that time, she found that she finished both her drink and the floral tempura. She and Karen ordered more of the latter, but she decided to switch to her earlier tea as she continued to write.

Nijal: Well, then! Can I give you the quick version first?

Stendhal: Response

Nijal: (another smile) I'm a logical, adaptable weigher.

However and of course, that didn't even come to close to encapsulating everything she'd written or thought.

Stendhal: Response

Nijal: Definitely. I do think that a lot of my approach to -- well, everything -- comes from all the years I've spent developing my engineering abilities. Engineering is ultimately problem-solving, so I'm very much about working through the problem to its conclusion, weighing all options, and then making a decision.

Even so, and as she crunched down on a particularly tart piece of tempura, she rocked slightly back and forth as Karen spoke.

Stendhal: Response

Nijal: I don't think you'd find an engineer who didn't believe they were adaptable. Or if they thought so, then maybe they're not a very good engineer? But I do think I am, very much so.

Stendhal: Response

Tags! and TBC!

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Lieutenant Zimedia Nijal

Mission Specialist

USS Octavia E. Butler

V238208LV0

she/her/hers (this character) & he/him/his (player)