Commander Lia Rouiancet: Job talk

[Tony Colella]

(( Bridge, Deck 1, USS Octavia E. Butler ))

Lia didn't have any concerns about Anton's performance during his brief stint in command, but she realized as she traveled along with this train of thought that of course he might reasonably read something more into her summons and her desire to talk about it. After all, several of the other lieutenants had taken their first turns at command recently, and she hadn't ambushed any of them during shore leave on the bridge. Not yet, anyway.

Rouiancet: It was your first time commanding a starship, wasn't it? I just wanted to see how you felt about it all.

Anton gave the experience some very reasonable thought before he responded.

Richards: It was… (swallowing)

Rouiancet: (with a smile) I promise there's no wrong answers. I'm curious about your experience. How did it feel?

Richards: It was different than I had expected.

Lia nodded, encouraging him on.

Richards: Well. (beat) I’d say it was quite hectic. You know I put in my report that we weren’t trying to beam you up Sir.

He glanced at the chair again, and Lia followed his gaze for a moment and did her best, despite the slight change in topic, to anticipate what he might be thinking.

Rouiancet: (gently) I know. (beat) You made a command decision, which is exactly the authority I left you with.

Richards: Response

She smiled again, doing her best to put him at ease. She tried to relax back into the seat she occupied, too, in a way that was both nonchalant and reassuring. This proved surprisingly difficult to do.

Rouiancet: Whatever happened next, the most important thing is that you made a decision. Indecision can be much worse than a decision that doesn't turn out the way you expected.

Richards: Response

She folded her hands in her lap, thinking of a way to ask what she wanted to ask. In fact, and after her realization that she was treating Anton to something of an impromptu interrogation after his first command, she was now thinking of this conversation as a schematic for the converations she now intended to have with Toxin and Josh.

Rouiancet: Was the experience the kind of hectic you'd like to return to in the future? (a small smile) I'd imagine you're used to some frantic activity in your duty post.

Richards: Response

Rouiancet: (with a very slight shrug) Only that I'm curious to know if a department headship or eventual starship command is something you see for yourself.

Richards: Response

Tags! and TBC!

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Commander Lia Rouiancet

Commanding Officer

USS Octavia E. Butler

V238208LV0

she/her/hers (this character)