Commander Lia Rouiancet: Slowing Down

[Tony Colella]

(( Walking the Promenade, Deep Space 14, in orbit of New Bajor ))

Rouiancet: (still light) But don't think I didn't notice that you avoided my earlier question! What do you think about your new captain?

Lia paused to turn to him and offer a brief curtsy, then laughed again.

Nilsen (also laughs) I didn’t avoid it, I just gave you fair assessment

Was she fishing for compliments? Even as Lia told herself that she definitely wasn't, she wondered. She was in the unique position of having known most of her crew when she was an officer alongside them, not part of the command structure of 'Oumuamua (or Thor before it), but someone you could explore or party or drink with without worrying about it coming up at your personnel review the next morning. Now, though? Now she was where the proverbial buck stopped, and even though she was able to reassure herself that she was meeting the expectations both she and Starfleet had of her, she still wanted to know what her fellows and her friends thought.

Rouiancet: That's a dodge if I've ever heard on.

Nilsen: (smiling) Alright alright, (holding his hand up) I’m not just saying this, I think you’re pretty kick ass, and I’m damn glad they made you captain.

Rouiancet: (immediately; half-consciously) Commander.

But she knew what he meant, even as the correction had been automatic. It had been Starfleet custom for generations and centuries to refer to any commanding officer as "captain," no matter if their rank was higher or lower than the actual rank of captain. Lia only wore three pips yet, and so felt like this crew might have somewhat of a higher standard -- they'd served under two commodores in a row, after all -- but if Lhandon was any indication, they didn't mind overmuch.

Nilsen: (laughing) Okay okay same thing. I’m glad they gave you command (beat) Commander.

Rouiancet: From your lips to the admirals' ears, though, hm? Not that I'm in much of a hurry, mind you. Imagine if they try and fast-track me to admiral or something! I think I'd resign.

She laughed again, but it cut off as Lhandon slowed and then stopped entirely. She turned to him, and he put a hand on her right shoulder, then her left, with all the (mock) solemnity he could muster

Nilsen: I knight thee, oh holy Captain. You are captain now. (beat) commander

Rouiancet: (a grin) The nearest admiral is going to track you down for giving unofficial promotions and beat you into the deck with an ion mallet. (beat; more serious) I appreciate it, though, truly. This has been a weird series of events.

It had been, hadn't it? Once she switched back to operations, all the way back on Veritas, she'd known that she would eventually try for command positions (that was, after all, why she'd undergone the bridge officers' exam and pursued promotion to commander), but she had assumed that she would have gone through a process similar to the what  both Avander and Aine had both just begun: second officer, then first, one or both concurrently with another duty post. Instead, she'd just been catapulted into command.

Rouiancet: I don't think I've stopped to realize that, actually. How weird my path to command has been, I mean.

Nilsen: Response

Rouiancet: I appreciate that you made me slow down and see it, too.

She'd take some time off, eventually, especially since Lhandon's was the last meeting Lohkina had allowed her to schedule following her work with the refugees. Lhandon had just made extra sure that she actually took some time off.

Nilsen: Response

Rouiancet: No, actually. I don't have anywhere to be at all. (looking around) Have you found anywhere else you think is worth a visit?

Nilsen: Response

OOC Happy to have them wander off if you're happy to end here, Tom, or keep going. I'll follow your lead!

Tags! and TBC!

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Commander Lia Rouiancet

Commanding Officer

USS Octavia E. Butler

V238208LV0

she/her/hers (this character)