Captain Mei'konda Delano - Lucky to Have this Crew
Aaron Nichols
(( Brew Continnuum, Deck 10, USS Chin’toka ))
Mei’konda waited patiently until those present had paused their conversations and turned their attention toward him. He stood up a little straighter, and clasped his hands behind his back.
Mei’konda: Thaank you. I would first liike to say that I very much appreciaate this surprise to welcome me back to the Chin’toka. Dr. Skyfire, and everyone else involved, creaated a relaxiing environment that honors this ship’s heritage. So, Doctor, thaank you. And thank you, Commander Kiax, for giiving him the resources without my permission, without which I doubt such a surpriise would have been possible!
Skyfire / Kiax: Responses
Mei’konda: Secondly, I want to thaank you all for your efforts during the Chin’toka’s first contaact mission in my absence. The circumstaances of it were not ideal, but without all of your efforts, the Mekra’fari and the Feladoni would haave been raided successfully by the Caraadians, and the loss of liife would have been much worse than it was.
He paused for a moment.
Mei’konda: We all joiined Starfleet to explore. Sometimes, it is necessary to defend. You all liived up to these ideals. And toniight seems a good night to recognize this crew for it.
Any: Responses
Mei’konda: Everyone here will be awarded Explorer’s Ribbon for pushiing the boundaries of known space, the First Contact Ribbon for obviious reasons, and the Operation Safe Harbor Ribbon for your actions against the Caraadian Pirates. Well done, everyone.
Any: Responses
Mei’konda: Would Commander Rosek, and Lieutenants Snow and Levinson join me up here, please.
Opening three small wooden boxes on the counter, Mei stepped forward, pressing a small ribbon into each of their hands and aiming a respectful nod at each officer.
Mei’konda: You’re beiing awarded the Diplomacy Ribbon for your haandling of the initial encounter with the Mekra’fari. In my opiinion, allowing them to capture you and briing you to their underground home was the best way you could have haandled the situation, despite the risk, and went a long waay toward establishing trust.
Rosek / Levinson / Snow: Responses
Mei’konda: Lieutenant JG Thalas th’Koro will be receiving this award as well, in absentia because of his duties. Well done, everyone.
Rosek / Levinson / Snow: Responses
Mei’konda shifted his attention toward his former XO aboard the Astraeus, and current first officer.
Mei’konda: Lieutenant Commander Rosek. It is my honor to award you the Distinguished Service Ribbon for your decision to turn back from your escape from the Mekra’fari’s caves in order to aid them in their defense against the Caraadians. I understand that the question of the Prime Directiive was present. In my opinion, you made the correct decision. In saviing the Mekra’fari from outside interference, you preserved the Directiive, you did not violate it.
Rosek: Response
Mei’konda: Additionaally, I’ve checked the time of your serviice of Chief Engineer on both the Atlantis and Chin’toka, and you’ve earned the Department Chief Ribbon. Congratulations, commander.
Rosek: Response
Mei’konda carefully pressed the awards into the woman’s hand, nodded once to her, and then shifted his attention over toward Snow and Levinson.
Mei’konda: Lieutenants. For your paart in following Commander Rosek’s orders and turning back to aid the Mekra’fari, you are both being awaarded the Silver Star. Congratulaations.
Levinson / Snow: Responses
Mei’konda passed the glittering medals to the two officers, nodded sharply toward them, then turned his attention toward the younger Caitian who was present in the Brew Continuum.
Mei’konda: Ensign Azorius, would you join us up here, please.
Azorius: Response
Mei’konda: Doctor Snow, Counselor Azorius. Duriing your tiime in the Mekra’fari caverns, you worked to saave the life of one of their injured, Katnar’fari. Without this heroic effort at treatiing a sentient with unknown biology, a liife would have been lost, and our attempts at showing our good intentions to the Mekra’fari may well have failed. For this, I award you both the Lifesaviing Ribbon. Congratulations.
Snow / Azorius: Responses
Offering them both a brief smile and a nod, he then shifted his attention toward some of the more senior of his officers.
Mei’konda: Lieutenant Commanders Serala, Raga, and Peters, please join me up front.
Serala / Raga / Peters: Responses
Mei’konda: Commander Peters, I went over the logs of your combat pilotiing several times. Though you are new aboard the Chin’toka, you’ve clearly taaken to her quickly. I notiiced some extremely creative maneuvers performed at a hiigh level of proficiency. I’m pleased to award you the Good Conduct Ribbon for your haard work in keeping the Chin’toka saafe from multiple attackers. Well done.
Peters: Response
The Caitian carefully passed the ribbon into the Commander’s hand, aimed a sharp nod at him, then turned to the other two.
Mei’konda: Lieutenant Commander Serala, whiile the initial aspects of the fiirst contact did not go smoothly, you maanaged to salvage a difficult situation when the Caraadians showed up and inadvertently gave the Feladoni and the Mekra’fari a chaance to see that Starfleet means what it says.
He paused.
Mei’konda: Commander Raga, you were left in command of a starship as its second officer, and put into a combaat situation, one of the most difficult things a Captain can face. You showed proficiency and cunniing against the Caraadian Commander. For these reasons, I am awardiing you both the Distinguished Service Ribbon. Congratulaations.
Serala / Raga: Responses
With the decorations handed out, that left only the smallest of the boxes left that he’d brought.
Mei’konda: And now, I would liike Lieutenant Commander Serala, Rosek, and Lieutenants Snow, Lephi, and Levinson to stay up here with me, please.
Serala / Rosek / Snow / Lephi / Levinson: Responses
First, Mei turned toward the part Al-Leyan.
Mei’konda: Commander Rosek, I haave to say that your request for a lateral departmental traansfer came as a surprise to me… but I agree with your reasoniing, and so I haave decided to approve it. Commander Rosek will, as of this moment, be relinquishing her posiition as Chief Engineer and moviing to serve in the command division as the ship’s mission specialist.
Serala / Rosek / Snow / Lephi / Levinson: Responses
Mei’konda: That, of course, leaaves the position of Chief Engineer unoccupied. And, Lieutenant Lephi, I’m afraid that a junior grade cannot serve in that position. Thaankfully, I agree completely with your former boss that you haave earned a promotion to full Lieutenant, effective immediately.
Lephi: Response
Mei stepped forward and opened the box, pressing it into the Ferengi’s palm. Inside was a single gold pip. With a nod of approval at his new Chief Engineer, he turned to face Snow and Levinson, after that. He smiled slightly at the Human woman and the part Vulcan next to her.
Mei’konda: And for siimilar reasons, you two, I feel that the title of ‘acting’ Chief Science Officer and Chief Medical Officer is inappropriate for the quaality of work and the driive you have shown in your tiime here under my command. As of this moment, I promote you both to the rank of full Lieutenant, and the posiitions of Chief Science Officer and Chief Medical Officer of the starship Chin’toka. Congratulaations, Lieutenants.
Snow / Levinson: Responses
An identical box with a single gold pip was handed to both before Mei’konda finally turned to face his first officer.
Mei’konda: Lieutenant Commander Serala. When I caame on board, you were forced to act as liason between a crew who had just lost their Captain and a new commandiing officer that neither you nor they had known. I haave heard the tearm ‘Atlanteans’, and I know how tight knit this crew is.
Serala: Response
Mei’konda: Nevertheless, you helped me to integraate with them, you’ve alwaays given me your best, and your command of the Chin’toka duriing my absence has convinced me that you haave what it takes to command your own ship one day. As such…
He reached for the final box, and pulled it open to reveal the final gold pip.
Mei’konda: I haave decided to promote you to the rank of full Commander, effective immediately. There are great things ahead of you, Commander, and thiis crew is as lucky as this Captain to have you with them. Thank you.
With Serala wearing her uniform, he was able to lean forward, carefully pluck the black pip off of her collar, and replace it with a third solid gold one. Stepping back slightly, Mei dipped his head toward Serala, and began to clap.
Serala / Any: Responses
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Captain Mei’konda Delano
Commanding Officer
USS Chin’toka, NCC-97187
M239002M10