Ens Hiro Jones - No biggie, just strolling with a Commodore

[notyourfrog]

((Observation Ring, DS224, Outside the Excalibur's Umbilical))

Jones: She really is a beautiful ship, isn't she?

Nicholotti: And a deadly one, to be sure.

Hiro turned his head at the response, and only just stopped himself recoiling from what he'd just done.

Jones: Oh! Commodore Nicholotti! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I ... 

Hiro was mortified. Small talk? Well, the targ is out of the bag now.

Jones: I was just on my way back to the Excalibur, and couldn't resist the view.

Nicholotti: Who can? ::Beat.:: What did you say your name was?

Jones: Right. Sorry, sir. Yes. I'm Hiro. oO YOU COMPLETE DOOFUS! Oo Er ... Ensign Hiro Jones. I just got here today. I'm the new medical officer working with Dr. Adea.

Faaaaaantastic. Hiro wondered what the record was for the shortest Starfleet career.

Nicholotti: Breathe, ensign. Welcome to the crew of the Excalibur.

Jones: oO "Breathe?" What's "breathe?" Oh respiration! Yes. Breathing good. Oo

He took a quick but deep breath, then letting it out slowly, the way he'd done countless times in his meditation practice, he nodded in gratitude for the reminder.

Jones: Thank you, sir. Happy to be here. Sorry for the awkward intro. I'm not typically so informal when meeting a commanding officer. I would blame the day I've just had, but excuses and armpits, right? oO Oh. My. God. Hiro. You were SO close to redeeming yourself. Oo

Gesturing to the ship's umbilical, she raised an eyebrow.

Nicholotti: Walk with me?

Hiro drew up short. The three-word invitation from Commodore Kalianna Nicholotti was unexpected. The thing about Hiro over the last couple years however, was that he was developing an appreciation for unexpected turns of events. Maybe this incredibly lackluster introduction was exactly what he needed.

Jones: Yes, sir. ::smiling::

The two Starfleet officers, approximately even in age, but lightyears apart in experience, began an unhurried stroll down the umbilical toward the ship. Hiro couldn't help but appreciate Nicholotti's presence. There was a weight to her aura he found nearly intoxicating. It would be easy to follow her command. He'd read as much as he could about all the ship's senior staff in preparation, but nothing had prepared him for the intangible elements of the people themselves. Hiro knew Nicholotti was a capable leader - you didn't become Commodore at 35 by accident after all, and now he was beginning to intuit more about the person herself. He had to remind himself to switch off the counselor side of his brain, or risk another foot-in-mouth situation again.

Nicholotti: So, you're here to join the elite medical team of the Excalibur. What do you think so far?

Jones: I'm very much looking forward to working with Dr. Adea. I met with him earlier today, and I think we're going to get along quite nicely. I'm honestly itching for shore leave to end and our next mission to begin. Is that weird?

Nicholotti: Response

Jones: ::considering this:: That makes sense. I appreciate the flow and cadence of having a clearly-defined objective. Down time is important for avoiding burnout, but I've had a few years away from the fleet, and never served on a ship before, so I'm eager to begin.

Hiro listened to himself rambling, and became aware of another unexpected occurrence: he was enjoying himself. Where a moment before, he'd been most afraid of blacking out from embarrassment, there now seemed to be a calmness wrapped around him like a warm blanket - or maybe like an emergency thermal sheet medics of old used to give shock victims. Either way, the warm was nice. He risked the briefest of glances at his new CO. She was dressed formally, in ambassadorial garb. The effect was ... regal? No, that was too gushing an adjective. Ceremonial. With her spine held straight, and head comfortably held aloft, the presentation elicited a sense of well-placed confidence. Yet, there was something in her eye that Hiro noted. His years of counseling had engrained a kind of muscle memory for noticing things like this. She was heavily burdened - beyond those that came with the office. He couldn't pry there. That would go beyond the bounds of informality deep into the realm of impertinence. Still, he tucked the observation away.

Jones: But I've been prattling. What about you? What do you enjoy most about being on the Excalibur?

Nicholotti: Response

Jones: What about command? I can't imagine the center chair is always as comfortable as it looks.

Nicholotti: Response

TAG/TBC

Ensign Hiro Jones, MD
USS Excalibur-A, Medical
E239510KD0
"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one." - Marcus Aurelius